Parts
by t.j.guard
Summary: Holley stifled her gasp and strained to hear what was going on. "...this car taken care of," the Mitsubishi said. "You know what to do." Crank was shoved violently toward the group of cars, and the Mitsubishi rolled back as if he wanted to watch.
1. Chapter 1

Parts

Disclaimer: I don't own the Cars franchise

Chapter One

Holley checked her disguise yet again in the next available reflective surface. She had to admit, though, that the dark pink and light purple flames and neon lights went well both together and with her original lavender paint job. She looked the look, sure, but could she talk the talk and drive the drive?

"Hey, check out the cutie," someone said, attracting her attention. Regardless, she glanced in the mirror and turned slowly to face the speaker, a green and purple tuner with a dissolving scheme to his paint job who had a smirk on his bumper and a harsh look in his eye. "How much for a ride?"

"More than you can afford," Holley replied.

"How do you know how much I can afford?"

"Your paint job is cheap, the paint itself is cheap, and if the best you have is 'How much for a ride', then your speech patterns indicate a rather blue collar upbringing. Need I say more?"

"Oh, you're in for it."

"Oh, am I?"

The car dropped the smirk, and the light in his eyes got fiercer. He rolled forward slowly, but still, Holley didn't flinch. He lurched forward, and she took the hit and the impact in her rear bumper from the brick wall she found herself shoved into.

She spotted an opening and pushed her way past her attacker. Once free, she sped forward for about twenty feet and then turned with a screech. "Is that the best you've got?" she asked. The car turned to face her and charged her again, and she sped out of his way, watching him spin out of control and strike a fire hydrant. With water spewing everywhere and whatever tuners were watching had run either for their lives or their paint jobs.

"Beautifully done," Finn's voice said over her communicator.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Now remember, if you can find Javier Armadez and turn him against the man who raised him, then all is not lost. We're not supposed to act outright unless the plan changes."

"Roger that." Holley drove off down the street, scanning the cars she encountered. "Finn, where do we start looking if he's not here?"

"Well, we start in some of the more logical places for fugitives. I already have contacts in Canada and Mexico on the case."

"Guess that guy shook you a lot more than you let on," another voice said. Holley jumped and turned around, clearly flustered.

"Whatever would make you say that?" she asked.

"Just sounded like you were talkin' to yourself, is all. If I'm interrupting a phone call, please say so."

Holley recovered herself. "No, you're fine," she said, running a scan on the tuner's VIN number. The tuner himself was purple and black in color and sported purple neon lights in a more basic pattern than some of the other tuners she'd encountered. "What are you doing here, if I may?"

"Well, I heard about the fight from some cars I know, just thought I'd check up on you. Crank's kind of crazy. He's just, well, Crank. He's like that."

"It's nice to know I'm not being targeted exclusively on my first night off the British circuit."

"Well no wonder nobody's seen you before. British circuit car. That don't happen every day."

"Doesn't."

"What?"

"It doesn't happen every day. Just a grammar correction."

"Oh, okay."

Holley watched the car carefully, but he didn't show any emotion. "Do you have a name?"

"Yeah. I'm Boost."

"Starr," she replied, giving him the tire bump he asked for.

"If you want, I can show you around."

"Oh, please do, otherwise I'd get lost."

Boost and Holley, whom he knew as Starr, slipped into an easy, slow, side-by-side ride as Holley did her best to relay information to Finn through her conversation with Boost and the data she sent him. She could only hope that Boost wouldn't be any the wiser, at least, not yet.

CARS

Finn studied the files Holley sent him and tried to interpret what he'd overheard. He had to hand it to the rookie. She was good, especially at thinking on the fly.

Then it came to him when he gave the VIN number data a second scan. Javier Armandez. He'd renamed himself, as evidenced by Holley's conversation with him, which seems to have served him well thus far. Had Finn not known any better, he never would've guessed that Boost and Javier were the same person.

"Next question," he muttered. "Why does an oriental car have a Spanish name and slight accent?" But that question didn't need an answer. He already knew what it would be.

He ran a check of the records on file on the computer, but they had nothing on the Armandez family. Of course, he thought. There's a United States drag circuit, and it had its own watchdogs, and they had their own records, records British Intelligence likely knew nothing about. The second Finn had this realization, he decided to find out what they knew, which meant only one thing.

"Siddeley?" he asked.

"Yes, sir?" the plane replied.

"I have someone I'd like to pay a visit to."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

As usual, everyone gathered in front of Flo's V8 Diner that morning and discussed whatever news had bothered to reach the sleepy little town of Radiator Springs, usually via tourists. Lightning and Mater rolled up late, as usual, laughing over the fun they'd had the night before. The subject matter on this particular day seemed to have been tractor tipping, which caused a particular uproar among those two. Many of the residents merely shook their hoods in spite of the smiles playing on their bumpers.

A jet zoomed overhead, preparing for its landing. Mater pointed at it and yelled, "Hey, y'all, Sid's here." He rushed off after the plane, to the startled and confused gazes of the other residents.

Finally, Mater reached the landing site just as Finn deplaned. When he saw that Finn was alone, his mood darkened. "Where's Holley?" he asked.

"She's on assignment in Los Angeles, California," Finn replied.

"So why're you the only one on vacation?"

"I'm not on vacation. I'm here on an information gathering mission."

"Ya hurt your what?"

"I'll have you know that I'm in excellent health, thank you. I'm looking for records."

"Records on who?"

"A tuner, named Boost."

"Uh, what's he look like?"

"That's the problem. I don't have a visual record of him."

"Oh, well. I think the Sheriff'll know who you're talkin' 'bout. He's at Flo's right now, with all the others. I'll drive back with you if you want."

"I don't know if you have much choice, since you drove all the way out here in your eagerness."

Finn and Mater slipped into an easy conversation about the weather and other unimportant topics which lasted all the way back to Flo's Diner.

"What're you doing here?" Lightning asked.

"I'm looking for something," Finn replied. He then turned to the Sheriff and asked, "May I speak with you?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," the Sheriff replied. "What's this about?"

"What I'm looking for. If we may carry this on in private?"

"Now you're makin' me nervous."

"Oh, come now. I can readily and confidently assure you that I'm working on your side. I cannot at this time explain why, of course, but I am working with you."

The Sheriff gave Finn a once-over. "Well, alright. Come with me." He drove off, and Finn followed. They drove into the station, where the Sheriff rode over to his desk and pressed a control which turned on the computer. "What're you looking for?"

"I'm looking for records on a tuner, named Boost."

The Sheriff browsed through his records until he found something several years old. "Here it is. Boost, Wingo, DJ, and Snot Rod. Speeders, the whole lot of 'em."

Finn rode around the desk and studied the record, which thankfully showed a picture of the four tuners. One was purple and black, with a basic paint job, one was purple and green, with an extremely flashy flame-themed paint job, one was blue, and one was orange, clearly a muscle car. For the orange one, being a tuner was clearly a state of mind and an indication of where his loyalties lie. "Can you tell me which one is which?"

"Well, yeah, it's in order. The purple one calls himself Boost, the flasy one Wingo, the blue one DJ, and the orange one Snot Rod."

"If I may, why 'Snot Rod'?"

"You ever seen that guy sneeze?"

"No, actually, I haven't."

"Trust me, you'll know why when he does."

Finn nodded slowly, chewing his bumper. He then turned toward the Sheriff and asked, "Did these cars speed through your town?"

"Oh, yeah. Damn bratty lot, too. I can live my whole life without seein' them again."

"And if they do return, for whatever reason? Strictly my curiosity speaking."

"If I had my way, I'd run 'em out of town."

"Thank you." With that, Finn nodded curtly and drove out of the station, contacting Holley only when he was sure he was alone.

"Oh, Finn. I was getting nervous. Siddeley said you had to stop by Radiator Springs for whatever reason," Holley replied.

"I found records on your tuner. Apparently he's served his time in Radiator Springs some time ago, but thankfully the Sheriff doesn't throw anything away. Exactly what are you so nervous about?"

"Twelve hours in the tuner underworld has shown me we're dealing with something quite dangerous in nature."

"Tuners work in gangs. What's to be expected?"

"Yes, true, but my instincts tell me something is wrong, dreadfully, horrifically wrong."

"Tread carefully. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

"I will, Finn. You take care of yourself as well."

"I will."

Holley signed off, and Finn roamed the streets of Radiator Springs, processing everything he'd learned. He'd only expected a place to start looking, a launch point to see if this Boost character was on the grid in the United States. He never expected him to be on the grid...in such a sleepy little town as Radiator Springs.

In spite of what he'd found, he knew he couldn't jump to conclusions, not until he had a full idea of what was going on. Finn smirked at the thought, as it came with thoughts about how severely lacking he was in such a thing. A full idea of what was going on, at this stage? Tractors may as well have been flying overhead right then.

He'd found what he was looking for, a record of Boost, so he should've been on his way back to Siddeley. But why wasn't he? Was it because his picture of the situation was incomplete?

"You look like you're lost," Mater said, jerking Finn out of his musings. "Find what you were lookin' for?"

"I found a little more than I expected," Finn replied, "and I'm not lost. I'm just driving around, trying to sort everything out."

"Oh. Can I help?"

"I can't take any chances. I don't know how dangerous this situation is just yet, and if it does happen to be extremely dangerous, then I can't allow anything to happen to any civilians who end up in the middle of things."

"I helped save the world before."

"Yes, but I'm not willing to risk you turning up as a car cube because you got too close."

"Well...is there somethin' I can do?"

"Yes, stay in touch."

"Wait, what?"

"Exactly what it says."

Finn turned onto Main Street, ready to drive off, when he noticed the croud gathered in front of the curios shop and, consequently, the radio, which was turned up as loud as possible.

"Police in Los Angeles, California, are now releasing information about the two cars that went missing last week," the news announcer said. "They are known tuners, modified to run on nitrous oxide, regarded by other tuners as exceptionally fast and with remarkable engines. Their mechanic thinks this as well, and police suspect that this is the reason for their disappearance.

"For those of you just joining us, two vehicles have gone missing, and as far as anyone can tell, they've dropped off the face of the earth for no reason whatsoever. Police suspect that the cars disappeared as a result of foul play because of their exceptional engines, though they haven't yet figured out exactly how or why it all fits together. We'll have more on this story as it develops."

Finn stopped recording the bulliten and turned back toward Mater. "That's why it's too dangerous," he said.

"Well, I ain't the best-built truck in the world. Maybe if you sent me in, I'd have a shot at findin' somethin' before bein' found myself," Mater replied.

"Buckets of rust are noticed in the underground, and the problem with holographic disguises is that, right now, they cannot add or subtract substantial amounts of volume. You'd stick out like a sore hubcap. For right now, stay here, and stay in touch. If you find anything, or if you need anything, call an operator and ask for Siddeley. It should be easy with the lone payphone in this town."

"What're you gonna do?"

Finn turned back to the croud. "Hope I can get to the bottom of this," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Holley watched Boost and his three friends disperse through the croud of tuners, and she couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"

"I dunno how it is on the British circuit, but here, searches a week into a disappearance are considered early," Boost said. "Typically tuners drop off the grid to avoid the cops and feds; it can last for weeks, months maybe, before they're ever heard of again."

"Interesting."

"It's just 'cause we heard a police report saying that they didn't know where Treads and Hydro were, and they suspected foul play. Treads and Hydro are crazy fast, and don't get the mech goin' on their engines. When they go missing without a trace, word gets around like no other."

"So, where were they last seen?"

"Starr, you're not seriously thinking about trying to find them on your second day here."

"I'm not going to let you try to protect me when you're as ignorant as everyone else around you, either. Where were they last seen?"

"The old Carson's Factory warehouse, but don't go there without knowing what you're doing."

"Oh, trust me, I know what I'm doing." Holley drove off, only sparing a glance in her rearview mirror for Boost.

The Carson's Factory warehouse was easy to find, because every tuner in the city was avoiding it, but what wasn't so obvious was a way to get inside the building or, for that matter, out. If this was where they were last seen, she thought, why wasn't this place being swarmed?

She rode around the warehouse until she found a door at the back, swarmed by what seemed to be tuners, but it didn't look like they were searching for their missing companions in troublemaking and reckless driving. They looked instead like they were monitoring the loading and unloading of various forklifts, though at her distance, Holley couldn't exactly tell what was being loaded and unloaded. She drifted only as close as she dared, waiting.

Finally, the forklifts rushed away, their task complete, and the tuners rolled inside. Holley followed at some distance, careful not to let the door hit her on its way down. She switched off the neon lights, rolling forward slowly, relying to the sounds around her rather than using her lights for guidance.

Once her eyes adjusted, she found a ramp which she took to a balcony overlooking the floor. She could see cars moving about as if rushing to finish something, and she edged closer to the edge of the balcony to get a better view. The lights flickered on, and the cars all stopped moving. She could tell that they were the tuners from outside the warehouse, but the paint definitely wasn't cheap, nor were the paint jobs.

A black Mitsubishi with wide streaks of gold-flecked gold paint running along the sides rolled leisurely in through one of the side entrances, which she hadn't gotten around to, and the cars all stopped moving. Behind the Mitsubishi was a car she recognized from the night before. Crank.

She stifled her gasp and strained to hear what was going on.

"...this car taken care of," the Mitsubishi said. "You know what to do."

Crank was shoved violently toward the group of cars, and the Mitsubishi rolled back as if he wanted to watch. The cars closed in around Crank, and Holley had the seed of a plan in her mind. She would move forward with that, armed only with the knowledge that she had to do something.

She raced off down the ramp, attracting the attention of every other car in the warehouse. When she reached the floor, the cars had closed in on her, the Mitsubishi included. She glanced at Crank and then at the warehouse's back entrance, but he seemed to not notice, or perhaps he misinterpreted the gesture.

Alright, Holley, plan B, she told herself, studying the cars in front of her, namely the Mitsubishi. "You. I don't recognize you. Where are you from? What are you doing here?" the Mitsubishi demanded.

"I run the British circuit," she said. "I'm here on holiday and heard about a few disappearances. As is my nature to do so, I decided to investigate."

"Ah, a newcomer. Well, rule of tread is, don't cross me, and you'll be fine. You just stuck your nose where you're not supposed to, and usually, it gets cars totalled, but I'll be nice-alert the media-and let you live."

"And him?"

"Don't push your luck."

Holley bit her tongue, wondering what to do next. No wonder Finn never dove in without a plan, she thought. "That's my husband's brother," she said, "and my husband is a fed. He can untilize any resource available to find him, and you can't have that, now can you?"

The Mitsubishi sighed and backed up. The others followed his lead, and he gestured to the back exit. Crank looked at Holley in sheer disbelief, but she rolled up and whispered, "Just go with it," before driving off out of the warehouse with him at her side.

As soon as they were out of sight of the warehouse, Crank said, "You got yourself on Shorts' radar. You better not drive crossways again, or you could get totalled."

"It's not me I'm worried about," she replied. "It's never been me."

"Then you've lost a few lugnuts, that's for sure."

"Maybe I have. My 'husband' would say the same thing."

"You pulled that story out of your tailpipe, didn't you?"

"I didn't have a choice."

"Well, thanks for saving my life, anyway."

Crank moved to drive off, and Holley said, "Crank, could you tell me everything you know about Shorts?"

"How'd you know my name? I thought you were from the British circuit."

"I'm a quick study." All the while, she was getting her recorder ready.

Crank looked around and then rolled until he was almost grille-to-grille with Holley. "Shorts runs this town," he whispered. "It don't matter what any other psychotic reality show bitch says. Shorts runs L.A., and everybody knows it."

"How does he come by such power?"

"Let's just say this. Cross Shorts, and you're never seen or heard of again, and because of tuner lifestyle, lots of times it goes unnoticed."

"Evidently not with Treads and Hydro."

"Treads and Hydro could've been his right hands, but they got hooked on drug money. Soon as Shorts found out, they were gone."

"What does their mechanic know?"

"Ask him yourself, if you can find him. His name's Axle. Tell him a friend of Treads and Hydro sent you, if you find him."

"What do you mean, 'if'?"

"Axle's hard to hunt down, real hard. That's how he stayed away from Shorts' wrath for so long, or so they say."

"Exactly what did he do?"

Crank shrugged. "Who knows?" He leaned in a little closer, glancing around in case they were being watched and eavesdropped upon. "Look, I gotta go, but remember, find Axle, and if you do, tell him Crank sent you, and that I'm a friend of Treads and Hydro. If luck has it, then I'll catch you on the flip side, but I need to go."

"Alright." She shut off the recorder as she watched Crank speed off down a deserted street.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Radiator Springs was abuzz with the news of the disappearances. It seemed to Finn that speculation about the two cars and their ultimate fates was on everyone's lips. Even the tourists left talking about it animatedly amongst themselves. Some of them provided some new information, which Finn dutifully collected and recorded.

When evening rolled around, Mater rolled up to where Finn idled, talking to some tourists about the disappearances. For all the tourists knew, Mater suddenly realized, Finn could've been an undercover cop. He smirked, but he held his tongue. After a moment, Finn pointed the tourists in the direction of the Army Surplus store and turned to face Mater. "I thought you was leavin'," Mater said. "What with your mission an' all."

"Change of plans. Cars flow through this town, and I need to stay to see what I can find out. I need a full picture of everything going on around the disappearances, or I can't go in," Finn replied. "I know it's dangerous to stay in one place, but this is a chance I have to take."

"What about goin' to California to help Holley out?"

"She's supposed to do this alone and call for backup only in the most desperate of cases."

"Oh. So, what're you doin'?"

"Gathering intel. In a town like this, it's very easy for me to know if something has gone wrong, and of course I can be on the scene within the hour." Mater nodded slowly, and Finn seemed to accept this. "Besides," Finn added, "it never hurts to spread the word to every car that passes by in hopes that they alert the authorities of whatever state they're from or traveling to."

"So let me get this straight. You're bankin' on word of mouth to get the news of those two cars around as fast as possible, as far as possible, and maybe somebody, somewhere, is gonna know somethin' important?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Are you sure you're not a spy?"

"Uh, as far as I know."

Finn merely nodded and rolled into town to strike up a conversation with someone else.

CARS

After a few more conversations about the disappearances, at about the point when they began to sound all alike, he drove off toward where Siddeley was parked, snoozing away. He smiled to herself and turned on his communicator, making an effort to contact Holley.

"Finn, what's going on?" she asked.

"What do you know about the two cars that disappeared?" he asked in reply.

"The old Carson Factory warehouse, that's what I know. Something is going on there that no one is talking about. Every tuner in search of the two missing ones have avoided it, and when I got in, I found a car in obvious fear for his life being tossed to the wolves, as it were. I saved him, however, but apparently I'm on the radar of a car known as Shorts. Shorts is a black Mitsubishi with wide stripes of gold-flecked gold paint. I have his VIN number, but there are no records on him. It's like police don't know he exists."

"He's good."

"Actually, no one will rat him out. I got the impression that he was a rather cocky fellow, prone to slip-ups."

"Do you suppose the two cars' disappearances are slip-ups?"

"According to the other tuners, yes, it is. Their names were Treads and Hydro, that's if you ask anyone here. Apparently they were known for their speed. I even got the name of their mechanic out of an unwitting informant."

"They went to one mechanic exclusively?"

"That's what I gather."

"What's the mechanic's name?"

"He goes by the name Axle, and I was told he'd be difficult to find."

"Well, he's never had to deal with us."

CARS

As soon as Finn signed off, Holley rolled around the city in search of a phone book, which she found in a phone booth a few blocks from the Carson Factory warehouse. She turned to the 'M's and found the 'Mechanic' heading fairly easily. She browsed the list of mechanics, all the while keeping the name Axle at the front of her mind. When she didn't find it there, she rode out of the phone booth and looked around for tuners. She spotted a yellow one on the corner, scanning the traffic nonchalantly to the point of appearing annoyed at the entire world. He seemed to notice her, and he drove up to meet her. "Whaddaya want? Powder, Ice-" he began, but Holley held up a tire to stop him.

"I'm not interested in drugs," she said.

"Oh, yeah. You're the British circuit dragster. Can I interest you in an upcoming race? It's tonight, if you wanna watch."

"You never know, I might have time."

"So if you don't want drugs, what do you want?"

"I want to find a car."

"Well, sure. I know tons of 'em. Give me a name, and I can point you in the right direction."

"Axle. His name's Axle."

The tuner faltered, but he recovered quickly. "Oh, I like a challenge. I hope you know how hard Axle is to find."

"Don't worry. I've been forewarned."

"Okay, good. Axle's a run-of-the-mill recluse, but I think if you check at his garage, you'll find him, or some way to find him."

"Where is his garage?"

The tuner gave her an address, and when she offered to pay him for his information, he said, "It's on the house."

"Thank you."

"Still wanna pass on the drugs?"

"Yes. I need to be sober for this."

"Okay. Good luck looking for that car of yours."

"Thank you."

The tuner nodded, and Holley drove off, thankful to finally be out of his company.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The garage was unassuming, somewhere in the middle of barely scraping by and condemned. Holley rode up to the door and knocked, but when there was no answer, she had to knock again. "I'm coming, I'm coming," a harsh voice yelled. Holley was surprised by how much the voice sounded like the audio clips she'd heard of Rod Redline.

The garage door opened, and if Holley's surprise at the man's voice was something, her utter shock at his appearance floored her. For a long moment, she said nothing, prompting the muscle car to snap, "What, you come here to balk at me?"

"Oh, no, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare," she said quickly. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, sure." He rolled aside and shut the door behind her after she rode in. "So, what is it about me that requires staring?"

"You have such a striking resemblance to an ally of mine. Rod Redline, also known as Torque?"

"How do you know him?"

Holley removed the holographic portion of her disguise, which left the neon and her basic purple paint job. "My name is Holley Shiftwell," she said, "British Intelligence. Torque was an ally of ours, and it was him who gave us the opportunity to foil Axlerod's plans."

"Then my brother's a hero."

"I'm sorry, Axle."

"Okay, two questions: how'd you know my name, and what happened to my brother?"

"I've been around the block a little bit since I got here, all the while talking to people and trying to find out what's happening. Secondly, I've looked at the records of your brother's autopsy. They indicate that he was destroyed through the use of Axlerod's fuel Allinol and some other means used to expand it to the point of exploding his engine block."

Axle bit his lip, anger burning through his eyes and his engine revving dully. He then took a deep breath and quieted his engine. "Wish I could've said goodbye to him."

"The evidence suggests death by torture. I don't think you'd have had the chance."

He sank lower onto his chassis, closing his eyes. "What can I do?"

"I'm here about two of your clients, known as Treads and Hydro, respectively. They've disappeared, and everyone is beginning to suspect foul play. They were famous for their engines, and I was told that you knew about their engines, that you worked on them personally."

"Ah, yes. Treads and Hydro. Superb engines, hardly ever wore out, despite the near-daily races at speeds hovering at two hundred miles an hour. It's like you and me handling sixty or seventy."

"Do you think that has something to do with their disappearances?"

"Well, word on the street is Shorts' been eyeing those engines for years, and I heard rumors that he knew guys who would benefit from those two engines."

"What does that mean?"

"Y'know what I make of all this?" Axle asked, rolling forward and lowering his voice. "I think, and this' just me, that he killed them and ripped their engines out of their bodies and sold them to the highest bidders."

"He's...auctioning...body parts?"

Axle gestured to the corner. "There's a bucket right over there, if you need to puke. If you're still sick, I've got a drink that'll settle your gas tank."

"I don't know if I'm going to be sick, but the drink sounds like a good idea."

Axle nodded and drove into another room. Instinctively, she followed him, though slowly, and watched him fix the drink. When he turned to pass her the drink, he didn't jump, but instead shook his hood and muttered, "You spies are always so paranoid."

"Let me guess, you've met some of Torque's friends."

"Yeah, and they were paranoid as hell, a whole lot of them. Granted, Torque was paranoid, too. Always thought I'd rig his engine with a bomb."

"That actually happened to one of us. We'd thought he was a spy up until the end of the mission, but it did happen."

"Doesn't surprise me."

Holley sipped at the drink, a rather yellow-ish coctail with a bitter taste to it, through a straw, but it did work as promised and settle her gas tank. Axle fiddled with a few more things in his garage before returning to where his guest idled, sipping her drink. "I want to make sure I have this straight while I still have this medicinal drink in front of me. You, based on what you've gathered here in your work as a mechanic, have reason to suspect that the tuner known as Shorts is totalling cars for their functional parts, which he auctions off to willing, if unknowing, bidders?"

"It's a theory, founded on rumor, but I have a way to find out."

"I've already been to the warehouse, and I got caught for it. According to them, I could get killed if I'm caught again."

"Yes, I know, but you're a British spy, and my brother was an American spy. Not only that, I'm willing to work with you, so we've got the strength in numbers thing working toward us while not being so numerous as to jeapordize anything."

"Did your brother know how much you learned?"

"Nah, but we were like this when we were kids, overhearing things and pretending to be on secret missions like James Bond. I learned a lot in those days, and it's been working for me ever since."

"So that's how you've been avoiding Shorts and spying on him at the same time?"

"Yeah."

"I'm pretty sure he knows that you know what he's doing, at least according to what I've heard on the streets through the tuners."

"Ah, so you've gone under."

"I haven't had a choice. That was my objective."

Axle merely nodded, and Holley returned to her drink. She began processing everything she'd learned, and then she asked, "How do you think we should go about this?"

"Go about what? Breaking in?"

"Yes. I know of two ways into the warehouse and a nice vantage point for watching what's going on, and you're the one that suggested breaking in in the first place, which begs the question, how do we do it?"

A knowing smile spread across Axle's bumper.

CARS

Holley rolled up to the warehouse behind Axle, who seemed to know his way around the emptiest backroads, wondering exactly how she let herself get talked into this. She looked at the giant door which was all that stood between the two, in her mind insane, cars and valuable intel. Axle tapped a few of the points on the doorframe, and the door opened. "One of the many benefits of working here," he explained.

Holley rolled in through the door, forcing back the deja vu, flashbacks, and nausea that came with the building. She glanced in her rearview mirror to make sure Axle had followed her and she scanned the main level of the warehouse. The building was empty, as far as she could tell, but that fact didn't quell her nervousness, and her recently agitated gas tank was barely holding up.

Axle examined the crates, carefully keeping Holley in his rearview mirrors, and then he noticed a small discrepancy in the way the crates stacked up. He gestured to Holley, who rode up beside him, and together, they slipped around the stack of crates, which hid a doorway to a dark alcove. Axle and Holley switched on their headlights and drove into the alcove.

Holley's headlights shone on stacks upon stacks, rows upon rows of car frames, and her gas tank lurched.

"Look," Axle said, attracting her attention to two new-looking frames at the back of the room. She rolled over to them and examined them more closely. "It's Treads and Hydro."

"Oh, no," she whispered.

"Hey, once is enough," a strangely familiar voice snapped.

Acting on instinct, Holley turned on the speaker, who she recognized as Shorts and spared only one thought for ("That's why he sounds familiar"), and rolled up so that she was within range. Then she released whatever control she had over her gag reflex, upchucking all over him. He reeled backward, giving her and Axle the opening they needed to escape. It didn't take much convincing on Axle's part to get Holley to book it out of the warehouse.

As soon as they were far enough away from the warehouse, Holley rasped, "We need to find Finn."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Finn sipped his drink in the middle of light conversation with the Sheriff about everything and nothing when two vaguely familiar cars screeched to halts in front of the water fountain.

"What's going on here?" the Sheriff asked, narrowing his eyes.

Finn looked at Holley, who was pale and looked as if she were about to puke. "What happened?" he asked. "Holley, are you alright?"

"Finn...Finn..." she rasped.

"C'mon, let's talk in private," he offered, driving off toward Siddeley. Holley followed. As soon as they were alone, he turned to face her and said, "Take your time."

Holley swallowed and said, "Axle and I found Treads and Hydro, or rather, what's left of them."

"What's...left...of them?"

She nodded. "Their frames, gutted. Completely gutted."

Finn settled back on his wheels, letting the news sink in and coming to an understanding of Holley's sickness. "How about you take a little time off to settle your nerves. I'll talk to your companion. Whatever intel you have you can upload into the main database."

Holley nodded and boarded Siddeley. Finn waited until she was aboard before driving off back toward Radiator Springs. The second he reached town, he was bombarded by questions with regard to Holley's health, to which he responded, "She's perfectly fine. She's getting some much needed rest." This seemed to quell the questions, leaving him to roll over to Axle. "May we go for a drive?" he asked. "I'd like to talk to you."

"Uh, yeah, sure."

Axle turned onto the road and allowed Finn to ride abreast with him. "Axle," he said, "Axle Redline."

"Finn McMissile. I was on the same side as your brother, and I have to say it's such an honor and that you have my condolences."

"Thanks."

After a moment of silence, Finn turned on his recorder and asked, "What exactly...led...to your discovery of...of Treads and Hydro?"

"I was in the shop, cleaning tools, when somebody pounded on my door. I put my tools away, like I always do before I have guests, and the pounding continued, so I figured I'd give a verbal response just to get the pounding to stop. I open the garage door to this purple car with a really, really nice flame job and real basic neon lights. She rolls in and introduces herself as Holley Shiftwell, and then she lifts her disguise. She's a real sleek, dark purple piece of work, I gotta say. Anyway, we get to talkin', and she says she knew what happened to my brother, Torque, that he was blown up with the use of that Allinol crap. Then we talk about Treads and Hydro and their disappearance, and the warehouse she found and broke her way into to see what was going on. We got to talking about breaking in again, and then that's what we did.

"When we got inside the warehouse, we looked around. I'm the one that found the alcove, which was lined with stacks of car frames. Holley was already sick with the theory that Shorts, the car in charge, was selling body parts, but when we saw the frames, it got real bad. Shorts drove in on us, and whatever she had in her gas tank ended up all over his windshield. He's probably looking for us right now, but we got the opening we needed to make a break for it. She told me to find you, and that she thought you were in Radiator Springs, based on signal information and crap, and we got here as fast as we could. We only stopped once, so she could puke again, but we got here."

Finn nodded and rolled up to an outlook point next to the parking lot dining of the Wheel Well, with Axle rolling up beside him. Finn turned to face him and said, "That's really quite interesting. It means Shorts is more dangerous than we suspected. I'll need a description of him."

"Black Mitsubishi with gold-flecked gold paint streaking the sides. You'll know him if you see him."

"I'm sure. He sounds pretty noticeable."

"And if you don't recognize him at first, watch for tuners avoiding him. They're all scared to death of him."

"I can see why, if he's gutting cars and auctioning off their parts."

"You know where I can stay?"

"If memory serves, I'm fairly sure there's a vacancy at the Cozy Cone."

"Thanks. Oh, and that kid you've been looking for off and on, he's doing well."

"How did you...oh. Torque must've found something and told you about it. I've always heard he was good at what he did."

"Oh. Have you met him?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure, but from what I understand of the records, he was a very brave car."

Axle nodded, and Finn watched him turn and drive off, pushing his thoughts on Axle's words out of his mind. He then turned back toward the overlook, losing himself in the view.

CARS

Boost barely listened to DJ's music, only tolerating it because it kept with their image. Wingo sped up so that he was abreast with Boost and asked, "Hey, man, what's up?"

"Jus' thinking about Starr, hoping she's alright," Boost replied.

"Don't tell me you have a thing for her, man. I heard she was married."

"So did I, but you know Shorts, and she crossed him twice. It's a miracle she's still alive."

Snot Rod inhaled in a way indicative of an upcoming sneeze, and the three other tuners sped up to get out of range of the speeding, flame-shooting muscle car. When the hubbub settled down, Boost glanced at DJ, who was busy changing the song, and then he looked over at Wingo, who was looking away pointedly and whistling to himself. Wingo looked over at Boost and asked, "What?"

"You look like you know something."

"What about you and Starr again?"

Boost revved his engine harshly, and the other three increased their space cushions. The group lapsed into silence as they continued their drive through California, talking to other tuners to see what they knew about Starr's escape with Axle, whom she'd apparently found and escaped Shorts with.

The four tuners circled in a parking lot in front of a mechanical garage. "Okay," Boost said, "if we wanted to drop off the tuner radar, where would we go?"

But immediately, they all knew the answer.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Finn boarded Siddeley, engaging in some light conversation with the plane, and he spotted Holley sleeping in her chair. "Has she been doing well?" he asked Siddeley in a low voice.

"She's been asleep a lot," Siddeley replied. "She hasn't been sick over anything on the inside, so I'm happy."

Finn chuckled and rolled over to the computer, playing the new intel files Holley had added.

Someone knocked on the hull, and he could make out a distinctively familiar voice calling out, "Miss Holley."

"Should I answer that?" Finn asked over the communication system.

"Visual confirmation on the identity of the intruder. It is, indeed, Sir Mater," Siddeley replied.

"Thank you." Finn paused the audio and rode to the ramp and rolled down easily. He spotted Mater some distance away, watching anxiously. "She's asleep right now," he said.

"She gonna be alright?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. Her gas tank was a little upset over what had occurred."

Mater relaxed, and Finn felt as if a weight had been lifted off his fenders. "Wanna go see the town?"

"I'll pass, thank you. I have some work to do."

"Oh, okay."

Mater drove back toward Radiator Springs, and Finn rode up the ramp and into his chair to resume the audio files.

Holley stirred violently and began wimpering. Finn paused the files again and turned to face her. She looked as if she were in the throes of a nightmare, at least until her eyes flew open and she rushed out of her seat to hide behind Finn. "Holley, what's wrong?" With a shaking tire, she pointed to a spot on the far wall. "There's nothing there, Holley."

"Yes, there is," she screamed.

Finn rolled out of his chair and turned to face his partner. "Holley, I think you're having a nightmare. It's me, Finn." He rested his tires on her bumper, and she seemed to relax some. Her eyes fluttered closed, she moaned, and then she opened her eyes again.

"How did I get here?" she asked.

"You were hallucinating. It seems like it might've been a nightmare. Can you remember anything about your dream?" She shook her hood 'no'. "Alright, how about you drive around Radiator Springs to clear your mind some."

"What about the audio files?"

"Holley, I think reliving your experiences would be a bad idea. I'll finish listening to the audio files."

"Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"I'm absolutely positive, Holley."

She nodded, and Finn returned to the audio files. Holley drove down the ramp and toward Radiator Springs. She drove up to Flo's diner, and Mater let out a joyous shout. She laughed and exchanged pleasantries with him when he asked, "Wanna go tractor tippin' tonight?"

"Tractor...tipping?"

"Yeah. It's only the funnest thing in the whole wide world."

"You really should try it," Lightning said.

"I'll teach you everythin' you need to know. Don' worry."

"Well, it might do me some good. When do I meet you?" Holley replied.

"Uh, 'bout eight-ish."

"Alright. Eight-ish."

CARS

The sun set over Carburetor Canyon, and most of the cars in Radiator Springs had settled into their night's lodgings, leaving Holley waiting at the edge of town, chewing her lip and trying to remember her nightmare, which had been bugging her for most of the day. Mater drove up leisurely, bobbing to the music she could barely hear playing on his radio. When he reached her, he asked, "You ready, Miss Holley?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," she replied, and they drove off to the field together. "So, how does this work?"

"Well, you pick a tractor, you creep up to it, 'cause it's asleep, and you honk. They do the rest. What you don't wanna do is wake up Frank."

"Frank?"

"Jus' don' wake him up, and you'll be fine."

Holley nodded and followed Mater into the field. "Here, I'll show you," he said, riding up to where a tractor idled, sound asleep. He honked loudly and rolled backwards. The tractor mooed and rolled forward until it tipped backwards and backfired. He was recovering from a hearty laughing fit when he rolled up to Holley and said, "'At's how it's done."

She swallowed and drove up to another tractor. She took a deep breath and honked, watching the tractor roll almost onto its roof and backfire. Her attention was arrested by a pulsing light behind some trees at the other end of the field, and a hollow roar sent chills all the way down to her skeleton.

"Dang, you're loud," Mater said. "But anyway, that's Frank."

A giant haycutter with a brass nosering burst from the trees and rushed toward them. Holley turned and sped through the field, Mater at her side and flashbacks rushing through her mind. She glanced in the rearview and tore through the gate and over the dust, only slowing down about twenty feet from the road. "Dad gum," Mater said, clearly in awe.

"That was Frank?"

"Uh-huh."

"Great," she muttered. "I think I'll go now."

"Uh, okay."

She turned to drive toward Siddeley, watching him sulk away in her rearview mirrors. "Oh, what am I going to do?" she asked, closing her eyes and shaking her hood.

CARS

Finn settled back in his chair, having just finished listening to Holley's audio files and adding the recording of his and Axle's conversation to the bunch. His eyes closed, and somewhere in the back of his mind, sleep nagged at him, but the images painted by Holley's voice as she described the room in the warehouse full of car frames, including those of Treads and Hydro, the two cars that had disappeared most recently. There was no indication of where the parts that had made these cars cars were.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Siddeley asked over the communication system.

Finn hesitated to answer. He hadn't really admitted that he didn't know before, and he wasn't sure how Siddeley would take it if that was his answer. All he said was, "I can't say."

Holley rolled up the ramp and on her way to her chair. "How was your date?" Finn asked.

"If I had my way, it would've been a nice, safe, peaceful, dinner and drive-in movie," she replied.

"What happened?"

"Ever been tractor tipping?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's a hick thing. Anyway, apparently I woke up Frank, the giant haycutter thing that chases whatever moves."

"You never feel more alive than when you're almost dead."

"But you never feel like you had a nice date, either."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"But you know I don't have it in me to break his heart."

"Indeed, this is a trickier situation than any field mission."

"I never thought of you as the type to have lived through this, since you're the one always saying that in our line of work, there's no room for friendships, let alone romantic relationships, that they're too dangerous."

"This is where I learned that lesson. When I was a young, inexperienced, and eager field agent, such as yourself, I was on assignment in Mexico, where I met a Spanish-Japanese car, really a charming young woman at the time. I, uh, got a little too involved and, uh, almost got burned for nearly compromising a mission."

"Do you know what happened after that?"

"She had a son."

"Where is he now?"

"I can't be sure, but apparently Axle knows of him."

Holley nodded slowly, chewing slightly at her bumper. "How was the intel? Passable?"

"Acutally quite good, if a little disturbing." He chuckled. "It's funny of you to ask such a thing. You never have before."

"You know I'm a novice at this."

"Yes, but I can't for the battery life of me figure out why you're seeking approval for something you've done on your own. Clearly you've escaped alive with what you had, as was to be expected, and if anything it's more likely the tuners would've feared for your safety rather than suspected you of snooping around. Alright, Shorts might've suspected you of snooping, but he'll likely be the only one, at least for a while."

"Either way, if he's looking for me, he'll find me, and he can have any number of tuners span the country in search of me, at least as far as I understand it."

"He'll find us," Finn corrected, deploying his weapons.

"Oh, Finn. Is this really necessary?"

"I heard your tapes, Holley, and Shorts sounds like a dangerous car. It really is necessary." Finn tucked his weapons away, and Holley let out the breath she never realized she was holding. "It's just not necessary right now."

"Finn, you crazy old spy car."

"Sometimes crazy gets the job done."

"Alright, Finn. Whatever you say."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Boost, Wingo, DJ, and Snot Rod drove and drove until they found the exit to Route Sixty-Six. Boost looked around for other tuners and took the exit, the others following his lead.

Route Sixty-Six was quiet, as if somehow the road itself knew something was wrong. The tuners slowed their speed; causing trouble wasn't their mission. Finding Starr was.

What few tourists en route from Radiator Springs to Los Angeles, California, noticed them and looked away, making an effort to avoid them. Boost merely shrugged it off. Tuners had a bad rap everywhere on the circuit, at least, as far as he understood it.

It would be a long drive.

CARS

Holley deplaned from Siddeley and stretched out, not fully opening her eyes until she was lost in the warmth of the sun. The desert was already bathed in light, but it wasn't too terribly hot. With a slight smile on her bumper, she drove in toward Radiator Springs, already thinking about some unleaded regular and a quart of oil.

She rolled into Flo's Diner and placed her order, having her gas at the station as she waited for her quart of oil.

"Mornin', Miss Holley," Mater said. "Sleep well?"

"I don't remember having any nightmares, and I don't feel like I had any nightmares, so I should assume so," she replied.

"So, did you have a good time last night?"

Holley sighed and pulled away from the station, her tank full. "I'll be completely honest, Mater, because I don't see another way around it. I'd had a terrible nightmare the night before, according to Finn, because I don't remember it. Last night, as we were running from that...was his name Frank?" He nodded. "When Frank was trying to kill us, I had flashbacks, to my nightmare."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive." A waitress set Holley's oil can in front of her, and she nodded her thanks.

"So, what was your dream about?"

"Being gutted alive and watching all of my parts get boxed up for sale. It ended with my engine and then my battery, which he didn't take out but talked about removing. I tried to break my free and find a place to hide and get some help, and that must've been about when I woke up."

"How do you not remember a dream like that?"

"Have you ever been gutted alive?" He shook his hood 'no'. "From what I understand, it's an extremely traumatic experience and a terrible way to die, sort of like being blown up via Allinol."

"Who's talking about Allinol in this establishment, man?" Fillmore asked.

"I am," Holley replied.

"Hi, Mater's girlfriend," Luigi said.

"Please, call me Holley."

"You don't actually like that Allinol crap, do you?" Sarge asked.

"No, I don't."

"Good."

"So, you was sayin', about that dream of yours," Mater began.

"Mater, it's not just the dream." She took a deep breath and continued, "I was hoping for, well..."

"What?"

Holley winced. "Dinner and a drive-in movie," she squeaked.

"So why'd you go tractor tippin' with me?"

"Because I was curious. I kept hearing you say great things about it, and I felt like it deserved a try."

"But you didn't like it?"

Holley sank onto her chassis. This is impossible, she thought. "I'm sorry I feel this way."

"It ain't your fault. I ain't had a lot of girlfriends, even fewer as pretty as you. I'm sorry if I'm screwin' up."

"Well, I don't know what I'm doing, either. This work doesn't exactly have time for relationships outside of a good cover, not that I think of you that way or anything."

"Ah, don' worry. I get it."

Holley took a sip from the oil can, meeting Axle's eyes as he rode into the diner. "Anyone have any recommendations?" he asked.

"Personally, I'd go for Fillmore's organic fuel, but that's just me," Lightning said.

"Which one's Fillmore?"

"I am, man," the VW bus replied. "If you wanna try my homemade organic fuel, then right this way, man."

Axle followed Fillmore out of the diner, and the conversation returned to the light topics that were being discussed before Axle showed up. Mater and Holley lapsed into a semi-comfortable silence, and she found herself scanning the road for Finn.

Something on the horizon caught her eye, but she knew right away that it wasn't Finn. In fact, it soon became readily apparent that there were four somethings, headed straight toward them. Holley tensed, driving up to get a better view. The other cars joined her, and she could see the Sheriff narrowing his eyes.

The four dots on the horizon got larger as time passed and began to take on color. Holley saw purple, green, blue, and orange, and she pondered throwing up her disguise, but only for a moment. The cars drew closer, until they stopped within fifteen feet of the croud gathered to watch them. "Starr, you're okay," Boost said, sinking onto his chassis in relief.

"Hey, nice move ditchin' the paint," the purple and green car with the flame job added. "You're a lot more normal that way."

"Uh, thanks, I think," Holley replied. A car moved to ask a question, but she held up a tire to stop him. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Jus' gettin' here before Shorts does," Boost said.

"Well, what are the odds that he's going to miss a dot on the map like this?"

"Actually, with all the tourism, somewhere at around sixty or seventy-five percent," the Sheriff replied.

"So, we're fairly safe, right?"

"Until he wises up."

The orange muscle car sneezed, and the other three tuners got out of the way just in time. "That's Snot Rod, I assume?" Finn asked, rolling up to where the croud had gathered.

"Does he run the British circuit, too?" Boost asked.

"Yes, he does," Holley replied. "He's a family friend."

Boost nodded, but the other tuners exchanged uncertain looks.

"I'm a client of her rich uncle," Finn said.

"I have a rich uncle? Sweet."

Finn chuckled and rolled up to Holley's side. "I'm just paying her a visit," he said. "I'm actually somewhat amazed that you showed up."

"How the hell do you know us?" Boost asked.

"It's complicated, but with time I'm sure you'll understand. After all, there's no turning back now."

All four tuners exchanged looks, and Holley said, "Let's get you folks some lodgings, and we'll work on a way to deal with Shorts."

"Oh, Manufacturer, you're serious," the green and purple car said, an expression of subdued shock on his bumper and windshield. "You're seriously serious."

"Yes, I am."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm not arguing with her," Snot Rod said, rolling up into Radiator Springs.

"I ain't arguin', either," Boost added, following Snot Rod. The other two cars followed, and Sally helped them make arrangements. The rest of the croud dispersed, and Holley seized the opportunity to drive over and talk to Finn in private.

"Rich uncle?" she asked.

"Well, they wanted to know," he replied. "I had to say something, or else your cover would've been blown and our mission compromised."

"I sure as hell hope you can pull him out of your tailpipe in case they ask questions, or else our mission really will be compromised."

Finn checked around them for observers and rolled in closer to Holley. "It's not just the tuners' arrival which risks the mission. It's not just the chance of Shorts arriving and killing us, let alone suspecting us of espionage. It's your complicated web of emotional ties."

"Oh, honestly, Finn."

"I'm serious, Holley."

"So you expect me to choose between a decent, normal life outside of work and you?"

"Holley-"

"Don't, Finn." Holley drove away from him, down Route Sixty-Six, through the mountains and valleys, doing her best to take it slow while getting away from Finn at the same time.

She couldn't help but think about how impossible Finn was being, and much as she tried, she couldn't see it from his point of view. Yes, he'd told her a story from his past, and much as she enjoyed such snippets, the one he'd told about his stint in Mexico really proved nothing to her except that Finn McMissile, master British spy, could make mistakes.

She shook her hood and pulled into the promontory point overlooking a part of Carburetor Canyon. "Oh, you're a real piece of work, McMissile," she muttered.

The view pushed all thoughts from her mind, and she lost herself in examining and memorizing it. A strange peace came over her as she stopped thinking and started looking.

"Well, your tuner friends are all set, Holley," Sally said, and Holley jumped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, you're fine," Holley replied, facing Sally. "I was just losing myself in the view. It's lovely."

Sally rolled up beside her. "It's why I stayed here."

"Is it what brought you here?"

"What brought me here was a need to slow down and find a way to be happy. I found this place purely by chance, and I fell in love with the amazing views and slow-paced way of life."

"That's fair. Maybe I should stay, too."

"But what about your work?"

Holley sighed. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"What happened?"

"Cliff-Notes version: I'm stuck, and I'm trying to figure out what to do to get, well, unstuck."

"Is it about Mater?"

"Mater, and Finn, and my line of work, and perhaps add desire for a normal life, to taste, of course." Sally chuckled, and Holley couldn't help but join in in spite of herself. "Anyway, I don't know what to do and it's beginning to get a little overwhelming."

Sally exhaled slowly and softly. "Well, this is a tough one. I wish Doc were here. Believe me, he'd know what to do. He's a little too blunt for most people's taste, but he doesn't dance around the subject, either, that's for sure."

Holley smiled softly to herself, but it faded after a few moments and she closed her eyes. "Have you ever faced a decision like this?" she asked after a moment, looking at Sally.

"Well, I'll be honest," she said with a light laugh. "I haven't faced a decision that influenced national security before, but I can remember days where it felt like it. I used to be a lawyer, so most of the cases I worked felt like life and death situations."

"Well, that's interesting."

Sally smiled. "Well, I'll tell you this much. I'd say 'follow your heart', but it's obvious that that's not going to work. All I want to say is, 'Be patient'. After all, you never know what's waiting for you down the road, and that's half the fun."

Holley faced Sally. "Thank you, Miss Carerra," she said with a smile.

"Please, call me Sally."

"Thank you, Sally."

"Wanna head back?"

Holley nodded slowly. "Yes, I think I will." Side by side, they drove back toward Radiator Springs.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"That was great. How do you do it?" Axle asked.

"My secret recipe, man," Fillmore replied. "It's all organic, man."

"You have your own recipe?"

"Like, yeah, man. You should hear how Sarge used my organic biofuel to save McQueen's life during the big Grand Prix race in London."

Axle nodded and turned toward the Army Surplus store across the street, where the Jeep known as Sarge was talking to some customers about night vision goggles and flotation devices. "Well, he looks like he saves people's lives on a regular basis, or he used to. I heard that was what Torque did."

"Was that your brother?" Axle nodded. "My condolences, man."

"Thank you."

Axle glimpsed the tuners talking amongst themselves at Flo's diner, and he noticed that Wingo noticed he was watching. Axle nodded to Fillmore and drove over to the tuners, giving Boost a high tire. "Hey, man, where you been?" he asked. "I heard Starr found you."

"Yes, she did," Axle replied. "Word on the circuit is she talked to Ice for that one."

"Yeah, that's what I heard, too."

"Well, it's nice to know Shorts hasn't found her yet," Wingo said.

"True that," DJ added.

"From what I hear around town, it won't be long until he comes around looking for her, and you guys. Some even say he's on his way right now. I guess tourists think this town is safe, so they talk," Axle said.

The tuners exchanged looks, and it seemed as if everything and everyone in the bubble surrounding the five cars fell silent. Axle chewed at his bumper and looked around, wondering if there was any way out of this. Finally, Boost said, "Okay, maybe you're right, but this is the safest spot for us, no matter how much the Sheriff hates us." He glanced at the Sheriff, who was watching them with narrow eyes. Axle nodded in understanding and turned to look around at the rest of the residents, who were in clusters, engaging in conversations with each other and other tourists.

He spotted Finn in the corner, having a quart of oil, alone. He took a deep breath, drove over, and said, "Hey, man." Finn nodded in reply, and Axle added, "You okay?"

"I got into a fight with my partner," Finn replied. "That's something of a hazard in this line of work?"

Axle smirked, closed his eyes, and shook his hood. "Reminds me of this time Torque told me about this girl he worked with, kind of like you are now. They got into a fight, and he kept telling me that if he went back to work right then, he'd make some sort of really huge mistake and get fired for it."

Finn smiled in spite of himself. "I can relate." Then he looked up at Axle and asked, "Are Americans lax in their rules?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Torque seems to have told you a lot, and he isn't known for loose lips or any other feature which would've gotten him caught and executed in a normal situation. Are Americans lax, do you know, or were you two closer than I had previously suspected?"

Axle figeted slightly, but it didn't escape Finn's notice. "We...talked...a lot," he said. "That's all."

"Did you get him drunk?"

"Why are you interrogating me? I thought we were on the same side."

"I said I was on the same side as your brother. I never said we were on the same side. I don't know you well enough for that. Now answer my question. Did you get Torque drunk so that he would tell you what he knew?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"Oh, trust me, it matters." Finn deployed one of the guns in his side vents. "Answer my question," he hissed.

"Okay, look, you don't need to shoot me, Finn."

"You scared or somethin'?" Mater asked. "Sure looks like it to me."

"What the hell is going on?" Axle asked, looking from Finn to Mater and back to Finn.

"Oh, yes," Finn said to Mater. "We're on to something."

"Look, I should go." With that, Axle drove off out of Radiator Springs proper and toward a promontory point just past the Wheel Well restaurant.

Oh, Ford, that was close, he thought, but Finn McMissile looked like a car who wouldn't let anything slip by him. He noticed Axle's twitch, of this Axle was sure, just as he was sure his behavior was too obvious to escape even the rustbucket tow truck's notice. That truck had come to Finn's rescue. Maybe he was a colleague. They certainly seemed to know each other.

"What the hell were you thinking?" a voice asked harshly.

Axle turned to face the car, who had apparently pulled into the promontory point behind him. "I was thinking of striking up conversation. I never expected him to be suspicious of me," he replied.

"Don't let it happen again."

"I won't."

"You'd better not, or I'll be forced into a position I can no longer afford to be in."

"Treads and Hydro were your first major mistakes."

The car rolled closer to Axle, allowing him a better view. His eyes were hard, and his mouth was set. "And I don't intend to repeat them," Shorts hissed.

CARS

Holley moved to settle into her chair in Siddeley's cabin when she noticed the screen flashing, indicating a new file. She drove over and opened the file, an audio recording most likely made by Finn.

"Holley," his voice said, "when you listen to this, I'm going for an evening drive, but this recording had to be made and added to the intel file. It regards your friend Axle, and I'm quite glad you found him, because something isn't right about him. Enclosed is a recording of my conversation with him, the one which caused quite an uproar amongst the townsfolk.

"In sum, Axle exhibits suspicious behavior when confronted on how he knew what his brother, Torque, knew. He seems to be avoiding something, though I'm not quite sure what. That requires more intelligence gathering, and we'll have to be patient, should it come about that he turns on the allies that he seems to have, or they deem him to be no longer of use, at which point he has the opportunity to, how they say, switch sides.

"Please understand that there are details which I added to the audio recording which the recorder could not capture, such as Axle's twitch. Other than these small changes, I have altered nothing. Enjoy the tape."

Holley pressed 'play' and settled back in the chair to listen to the conversation Finn had recorded.

CARS

Boost had watched Axle's conversation with Starr's family friend and now caught him alone at Willie's Butte, trying out the dirt track that Radiator Springs possessed. He caught Finn as he came around and said, "I overheard that conversation you had with Axle."

"Oh?" the Aston Martin replied, raising an eyelid. "Do you side with him?"

"I dunno where I side, to be honest. I just kept thinking you have a good point and he's hiding something."

"Well, join the club."

The car turned away from Boost, allowing the latter to examine his profile. Finally he asked, "Have we met?"

He faced Boost again. "Excuse me?"

"You look kinda familiar, somehow."

"Oh, I knew this was coming. I knew your mother."

"Oh, yeah, I remember now. She had some pictures of you and her that she really liked to show me. She said you were a good guy, and don't tell Shorts this, but she really liked you." After a pause, he added, "Y'know what? Tell Shorts all about it, all you want. Get him pissed off enough and you know he'll make a mistake, and we'll be right there to get him for it."

Finn smirked. "With a mind like that it amazes me that you didn't finish school and decided to race the drag circuit."

"I didn't have much of a choice about that, but as long as I'm there, I may as well do something interesting each day I'm alive."

"Quite an interesting philosophy."

"In my world, you don't get to live very long. You don't do anything fun, you waste your life and get totalled as a failure. Then when you move on, well, who knows?"

Finn turned and faced Boost, a strange look in his eyes. "You make a good point," he said.

"Yeah, well, I try."

"You could make a good man, if you really wanted to."

Boost smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Really."

"You're welcome. Now, care for a lap or two?"

Boost grinned and revved his engine. "Bring it on, old car."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"Word around town is yesterday was pretty eventful," Lightning said to Mater over a quart of oil. "I heard you caught another shady car in the act."

"Ah, well, I came close. I dunno what the big plot is this time, but I can sure figure it out if I need to," Mater replied.

"Maybe you should be a spy full time. You seem to be pretty good at it."

"I'm also pretty good at towin' and salvage, and I dunno if I wanna leave my job. Or Radiator Springs, for that matter."

"Well, I can't argue with that."

"Shoot."

Lightning chuckled. "Shoot what?"

"Ah, you shut up." Even so, Mater had a grin on his bumper and had given Lightning a light tap with his tire. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, but if you have a computer hooked up to you again, you've gotta be careful what you say. Can't have a couple gatling guns firing at all your friends, now, can you?"

"Well, you got a point there."

"You two enjoying your oil?" Flo asked.

"Yeah. Thanks a lot," Lightning replied.

"'S real good oil," Mater added.

"How is it you're still single when you keep sweet-talkin' people like that?" she asked with a laugh.

"You be careful, Flo. Can't have Ramone overhearin', can we."

"Oo, you be careful, now." Flo and Mater shared a laugh, and Lightning chuckled softly, shaking his hood and closing his eyes.

"What's all the hubbub?" Ramone asked with a laugh. "I thought this was supposed to be a trouble-free establishment."

"Everything's okay, Ramone. Nothing to see here," Lightning replied.

"You better be right about that."

Lightning laughed and took a sip from his quart of oil. The four of them entered into small talk, and the morning passed easily into midday with hardly anyone noticing. Tourism was fairly slow that day, so the conversations remained, for the most part, uninterrupted.

Holley drove up to meet the group. "I thought a morning quart of oil meant a morning quart of oil," she said lightly.

"Well, howdy, Miss Holley," Mater replied. "How're you today?"

"Just fine, thank you, and yourself?"

"I ain't an old rusted out frame in some field somewhere, so I'm okay."

Holley twitched slightly at the mention of a frame, but she recovered easily. "I have the same sentiments," she said. "I have to say, I haven't been totalled yet, so I'm doing alright."

"Well, good. Uh, got anything planned tonight?" As if on cue, Ramone, Flo, and Lightning fled the scene.

"More tractor tipping?"

"Nah. More like dinner and a drive-in movie."

Holley smiled softly. "I'd love to."

CARS

Mater checked his bumper one more time in the mirror, prompting Lightning to say, "Relax. You look fine. Besides, she fell in love with...well...Mater the tow truck."

"But she thought I was a spy when we met," Mater replied.

"Well, she knows the truth now, and she's still going out with you, right?"

"You got a point there."

"Okay, now remember. She's a secret agent, so there are some things that she can't say anything about. Got it?"

"Ah course I got it, McQueen. I spent a little time as a secret agent myself."

"Okay. Now get 'er done."

With a grin on his bumper, Mater drove toward the Wheel Well, all but giving up on rehearsing his lines.

He reached the Wheel Well, and one of the waiters directed him to the table he'd reserved for two, where Holley waited, savoring the view. "Sure is purty, ain't it?" he said.

"Yes," she replied. "Nothing like England, but I guess in some ways better."

"Ain't no place like home, that's for darn sure."

"You're right."

"You get to spend a lot of time at home?"

"Whenever the schedule allows it."

"Bet you're pretty busy."

"You could say that."

A waiter drove up and asked, "May I recommend the daily special?"

"May I ask what the daily special is?" Holley replied.

"Not Allinol, if that's what you want to know. It's an oil cocktail blend, seasoned with various herbs and spices from Arizona and New Mexico."

"Does it contain isopropanol?"

"Not as far as I know."

"I think I'll try it."

"I'll try it, too," Mater added.

"Okay, two for the daily special," the waiter said, and he drove back inside the Wheel Well.

"You got allergies or somethin'?" Mater asked, and Holley nodded. "Ah, don' worry. I'mma take good care of you."

"I appreciate it, Mater, but I can handle myself, thank you."

The two settled into something of an awkward silence, and a few minutes later their drinks arrived. She took a sip and savored the taste as if testing it. Deeming it safe, she swallowed, examining the tablecloth in front of her.

"How's the special?" Mater asked.

"It's pretty good. You should try it," Holley replied.

He took a sip from his glass. "Dad-gum," he said. "That's good."

"Do you have any idea what it's called? Just in case I want to find a recipe at some point in the future?"

"I think it's one of McQueen's family recipes. He's real tight-lipped about it."

"Then I'll have to come back here every chance I get."

"Well, if you're comin' back, then it's called the Radiator Racer. I think he named it."

"Oh, you don't say."

Mater nodded, and they lapsed into another awkward silence, which was broken by the screeching of tires. Before Holley could get a visual on the speeding car, it crashed into the table, scratching her paint and only stopping just before the edge of the cliff. "What the bloody hell is going on?" she snapped.

"Can't talk now," the car replied frantically before speeding off down the street. A second car sped off after him, and she immediately noticed a set of neon lights. Tuner, she thought, speeding off after him and well aware of the fact that the patrons of the restaurant were watching her.

She closed in on the car, but before she knew it, she was maxing herself out, and she had the nagging suspicion that he could keep going. Even so, she tried to go just a little bit faster. The car kept speeding, and she glimpsed the taillights of the first car ahead of him. She moved into the oncoming lane as soon as it was clear of traffic, and she tried to catch up to him. Her engine burned, but she couldn't give up the chase.

Finally, her front bumper lined up with the other car's back bumper, and she yelled, "Give it up. The game is over."

"Not on your life," the car yelled, and she immediately recognized the voice. "I'm not going anywhere."

She attempted to slam into his bumper, and she spun out of control and flipped end over end, sliding to a stop on her side just at the edge of the cliff.

As the residents of Radiator Springs gathered around her and Mater righted her and towed her back toward town, she began analyzing the events of the evening. Something about the first car's voice struck her as familiar, more familiar than Shorts'. Then she thought about the coloration, which she'd barely glimpsed in the low light of the parking lot of the Wheel Well. "Crank," she said. "Shorts is after Crank again."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," the green and purple tuner with the six-winged spoiler said, switching on his neon and speeding off in the night. The three others were quick to follow.

"I guess it's kill or be killed in the underworld," Holley whispered.

"Dear Manufacturer," Finn gasped, rolling up to talk to Holley as Mater towed her to Ramone's. "What happened?"

Holley tried to take a deep breath but ended up moaning. "Shorts is after Crank again. I tried to stop him, but I...I..."

"Holley, you need to be careful. You can't handle speed the way tuners can. You could fry your engine if you do something rash."

"And so could you, Finn."

"Well, as far as I can judge, those four tuners are after Shorts."

"Who is after Crank, because of the mission that you sent me on."

"You were the one to intervene."

"I didn't have a choice. Crank, regardless of criminal record, is an innocent. You said it yourself. We defend the innocent and foil the plots of the guilty."

"I hate it when you use my words against me."

"I don't have a choice."

"Regardless, we need another way to get to Shorts, because this current method is too dangerous."

"You say the same thing about friendships, though your little anecdote doesn't supply very much information."

"Oh, really? Think about it, Holley. I got too involved while on assignment without knowing if she were working for the enemy."

"Alright, that makes sense, but honestly, Finn, we know the cars here are harmless."

"You don't know that. Heck, I don't know that."

"Well, what do you know."

"I've been running background checks on Axle, but I haven't been able to find anything."

"So you do have reservations about Axle, and you and I both know he's hiding something," she said in a low voice. "So, what's this great new idea of yours, exactly?"

"Me going under cover to get to Shorts before anything goes any more awry than it has already."

"Finn, have you lost your mind? I've crossed Shorts twice already, and if the tuners ever go back, it'll be all over the circuit that you and I run the same circuit. It's too dangerous for you."

"Well, we can't send Mater. He's too noticeable."

The answer came to both British spies at once, and they said it at the same time: "The tuners."

"Well, here we are, Miss Holley. Ramone's body shop," Mater said, helping Holley inside.

"Aye, Dios mio," Ramone muttered upon seeing the violet Jaguar. He helped her into the chair. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and she jumped, almost unable to recognize the scratched, dented, dirty car in the reflection. "Guess that's what happens when you get in a roll-over."

"You...you can fix this, right?" Holley asked.

"Yeah, I can, but it'll take a little time, and it looks a hell of a lot like it hurts, so I'm gonna have to sedate you."

"Alright, that's fine."

Ramone hooked a device up to her bumper, and she closed her eyes and allowed herself to be knocked unconscious by the gas.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Wingo and Boost sped forward side-by-side, DJ and Snot Rod falling in behind them, but no one spoke. Wingo sped up, spotting two sets of taillights on the road ahead, and the other three followed his lead.

After what felt like eternity in a pressurized hose, the sets of taillights drew closer, and Wingo shouted, "Free bird, Crank." Crank turned, his rear bumper swinging out as he slid off the road and into the desert, stirring up dust as he went.

Shorts turned ninety degrees, his tires screeching against the pavement. The four giving chase also threw on the brakes. The screech echoed through the canyon, and as it faded into nothing, the two opposing sides lapsed into a tense silence. Shorts examined the four other tuners, chuckling softly as if laughing at some sort of joke he'd told himself.

Wingo glanced at where Crank drove off the road, only to find that he wasn't there, and he could only hope that he'd found a route to freedom. "Your friend won't always have your help, or the help of those friends of yours from across the pond," Shorts said.

"All they need us for is getting the threat out of the way," Boost replied.

"You think you can do that?"

"Who cares if I think I can get any threat out of the way. It's not my job."

"You're the helpers. I get it now. So tell me, who are you working for? Who are your British friends? What are they doing here?"

"How do you know we're going to talk?" Wingo asked. "What if we don't wanna go along with you anymore?"

"Do you have a choice?" Shorts charged them, but they split off just in time, and he drove right through, almost losing control in his shock.

Boost turned to face Shorts and said, "May as well drive off while you still can, before we call the cops."

"You wouldn't."

"You wouldn't give us a choice."

Shorts smirked and sped off. "Thank the Manufacturer it's over," Crank said, driving out of his hiding place. "You guys are awesome."

Wingo gave Crank a high tire. "Ain't nobody screwin' with my brother," he said.

"And mess with one, mess with us all," Boost added. "Anyway, c'mon. We're the only tuners here, and this is basically the middle of nowhere."

Crank nodded, and the five drove off toward Radiator Springs.

CARS

Finn paced in the parking lot in front of Ramone's body shop when he noticed a black Mitsubishi with streaks of gold-flecked gold paint down his sides. The Mitsubishi was rolling into town, scanning the streets constantly, and Finn backed off into the shadows, switching on his recorder, just in case he caught something, but it was too little, too late. The car took notice and drove over to meet him. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he asked, and Finn recognized the voice from recordings of Holley's conversations.

"Shorts, I assume," he replied.

"What's it to you?"

"You'd be amazed."

"You're one of my son's British friends, aren't you? Well, let me tell you something, pal. I personally think you're a bad influence-"

"And you aren't?"

"Oh, you have nerve."

"Yes, I do, and I pride myself on it. Now, what are you going to do about it? Gut me alive and leave my frame to rust in some room with all of your other little projects? That was what you did to Treads and Hydro, wasn't it? Wasn't that also your plan for Crank?"

"You an undercover cop?"

"Oh, how interesting. You think I'm trying to weasel a confession out of you."

Shorts glanced at the asphalt, but on the whole, his countenance remained steady and a little cocky. "You know it's not gonna happen."

"Yes, I know. I'm not the fool you make of me, Shorts. I've learned too much to afford to be a fool."

"Good."

Finn gave Shorts a once-over, switched off his recorder, and drove into Ramone's body shop. In his rearview mirror, he watched Shorts pull out of the parking lot and drive away. He drove over to the Sheriff, who was driving out of the operating room, and he asked, "How is she?"

"Still in a medically induced coma, but Ramone's putting her back together pretty good," the Sheriff replied.

"She's going to be alright, correct?"

"She'll be just fine."

Finn sank onto his chassis. "Okay, good," he sighed. "Is there any way I can stay here until she wakes up?"

"I think that's okay. I mean, it's not like anyone's going to argue. Everyone knows you two are close."

Finn nodded, struggling to conceal his blush. The Sheriff nodded curtly and drove out of the body shop, most likely to patrol the town or get a wink or two of sleep. He glanced at a cluster of cars who were talking animatedly amongst themselves, and something in his rearview mirror attracted his attention. He drove out of the body shop only to meet the four tuners he'd seen earlier, along with a friend. "Hey, man," Boost said. "This' Crank, Wingo's brother."

Finn glanced at the Nissan with the six-winged spoiler. Wingo. "Nice to meet you," Finn said, looking over at Crank.

"Hey, you run the British circuit too?" he asked.

"You could say that. Are you alright? You look a little shaken."

"It was Shorts." Finn switched on his recorder and let Crank continue. "He chased me. I ran as fast and far as I could. I picked a deserted road and kept running. I breezed through a few towns, but he kept catching up, and I found myself running through a restaurant, and Starr was chasing him. I think I scratched her paint somehow. I'm sorry I caused her accident."

"It's not your fault. She's a quite eager racer, but her engine has a limit. I keep telling her to be careful."

"Are you going to find him?"

"Yes."

"Are you an undercover cop?"

"Funny, he asked me the same thing. To be honest, I can't say what I am." Crank nodded, and Finn switched off his recorder. "Do you need a place to stay? I recommend the Cozy Cone."

"Thanks, man." Crank drove off toward the Cozy Cone, followed by the other tuners, and Finn drove back into Ramone's body shop.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Holley's eyes fluttered open, but it did little to lift the drug-induced haze and only increased her disorientation. She examined the body shop, wondering exactly how she came to be there, and then she noticed her aches, and the memories began returning to her. She began to understand that she was in a roll-over accident. The accident was caused when she pursued Shorts, who was in turn pursuing Crank. She'd gone on a date with Mater that night. It was supposed to be dinner and a drive-in movie.

She was supposed to have a nice date with a nice car, but Crank and Shorts had sped through, and she had to chase them, or she'd felt the need to.

The mission had almost been compromised. She had no idea where the pieces to the puzzle were now. She didn't know where Shorts was. She didn't know if Crank was safe.

"Finn," she managed, in a mangled voice. Her whole body felt heavy, and even moving her lips felt difficult. She blinked, and she was tempted to close them and slip under again, but she needed to talk, she needed to do something.

The haze had begun to clear, and her once-blurry vision began to sharpen. She noticed a familiar pale blue Aston Martin toward the wall of the room, almost opposite her. They'd had a fight while she was being towed. Did he forgive her? she wondered. "Finn," she mumbled again.

"Holley, thank the Manufacturer," he replied, driving closer to her. "Are you alright?"

"Mm, think so."

"How do you feel?"

"Heavy."

"Do you remember what happened last night?"

"It's coming."

Finn nodded. Holley's eyes were already closing, and she sank onto her chassis as if she were completely exhausted, which was most likely the case. He watched her patiently and then rolled backward, his eyes fluttering closed. "I got recordings of a couple more conversations with Shorts. Judging by his pattern, he'll be back for Crank. He won't stop until Crank is dead, and we've already intervened, like it or not. We have to keep going, and we need a way to stop Shorts, before it's too late, for Crank or us." Holley did her best to nod, and then she was snoring softly, the cue Finn was very familiar with that indicated that she was sound asleep.

He drove out of Ramone's body shop and toward where Siddeley had parked himself. He boarded and settled into the nearest chair, falling asleep.

CARS

Boost had all but abandoned the quart of oil as he became absorbed in the talk around Radiator Springs.

"Maybe I drugged her too much," Ramone admitted. "She's not on anything now, of course."

"I sure hope not," the Sheriff replied.

"I told you to try organic, man," Fillmore added.

"And if she's allergic?" Sarge asked Fillmore.

Officer and a gentleman, Boost thought.

"Don't worry. I've been checking on her off and on all night, and that McMissile character sat up with her the whole time. I'm sure that if she's sleeping off the drugs, she'll be fine. She's not on anything now, is she?" the Sheriff asked.

"Oh, no, no," Ramone replied, shaking his hood. "She's not on anything. She sleeps off the knock-out drugs, she'll be just fine, if a little bit sore from her accident."

"Okay, good."

Boost glanced at the other three tuners, who were talking in hushed tones amongst themselves. Crank was nowhere in sight, which indicated to Boost that he was hiding. No surprise there, at least in his mind. He glanced at Lightning and the tow truck known as Mater, who were engaged in something of an awkward conversation, which Boost only just began to overhear.

"...and I keep feelin' like I was the one that done screwed up the date," Mater said. "Ah mean, I was the one that invited Miss Holley along for dinner and a drive-in movie. It's supposed to be safe, y'know?"

"Mater, you can't keep blaming yourself. I'm sure Finn and Holley will find a way to solve this. If they need our help, then that's what we do," Lightning replied.

"I know that."

"But?"

"But maybe I coulda stopped it."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, okay, buddy? It's gonna work itself out, and besides, you gave her a tow when she needed it. I'm pretty sure she's gonna thank you for it when she's at least semi-conscious."

"I sure done hope you're right."

Boost payed his tab and scanned the clusters of Radiator Springs citizens, who were all engaged in discussion amongst themselves, likely about the previous night's events.

Shorts would be back. This truth forced him to shudder as it occurred to him, and each time he thought about it, and whenever he was reminded of the fact.

Boost shoved all thoughts of Shorts from his mind and began thinking about the Aston Martin, who knew his mother when she was younger. Julietta had spoken lovingly of him when she and Boost were alone, which had raised a few questions, but whenever Shorts was around, she was ready and willing to admit that it was Shorts who was her father.

In retrospect, Boost wondered if Julietta had been lying to him to preserve both their lives.

He looked around again and then drove off, spotting a plane in a field. "What are you doing here?" the plane asked in a light British accent. Boost figured that this was the British cars' ride.

"Do you know this blue Aston Martin? You sound like you're from the same place he is."

"Oh, Finn McMissile? Yes, I know him. We work together. I help him get from place to place."

"Did Finn McMissile keep a record of his time in Mexico?"

"That's classified."

"What if I think I'm involved?"

"That's still classified. I'm under orders."

Boost settled back in his frame. "It's cool, man. I got it." With that, he drove off, but not in time to miss the plane's sigh of idngination.

CARS

Finn stretched out and and looked around. "Someone's been looking for you, sir," Siddeley said over the communication system. "He wanted to know about what happened in Mexico."

"Who was it?" Finn asked.

"I never caught his name, but he sounded something like an American street car."

"Thank you."

Finn deplaned and looked around at the stark desert in all of its beauty. It seemed to him that Carburetor County was the only place to find a scene like that.

But he had other things to worry about.

He drove into town, where he noticed Boost, and he asked, "Were you looking for me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I was. I wanted to talk to you about what happened with Julietta, in Mexico."

"Want to go for a drive? This is a personal matter, and I'd rather it were discussed in private." Boost nodded his understanding, and side-by-side, he and Finn drove off down Route Sixty-Six. "What would you like to know?"

"How well did you know my mom?"

"Quite well. I'll be honest."

"Did you...well..."

"You want to know if I'm your father."

"You're good."

"And you're more perceptive than I thought. Of course, the only way for you to know for sure is to run checks on both our VIN numbers, but I see where you have reason to suspect such a thing."

"Think we should give it a shot?" Finn looked at the shoulder of the road and chewed slightly at his bumper. "Lemme guess," Boost said. "It's Shorts."

"Yes. I feel he should be taken care of first, and our curiosities second."

Boost nodded slowly, indicating his understanding. "How's Starr?"

"She's just fine."

"Cool." Boost looked around. "Y'know, maybe we should turn back."

"Good idea," Finn replied, and together, they turned around, back toward Radiator Springs.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Just as Holley came to, Finn's words to her came to the forefront of her mind, and she remembered the image of all those car frames lining the wall of a hidden room in a warehouse in Los Angeles. Her mind was much clearer than when she first woke up after being sedated so that Ramone could repair the extensive damage the roll-over she'd had, and a clear mind meant an active mind.

She knew how to stop Shorts.

Holley opened her eyes and looked around at Ramone's body shop, spotting Ramone himself in the corner, consulting with a tourist about a paint job. She rolled off the chair and into the lobby. Ramone was quick to notice, and he said, "Hey, she's drivin' around."

"Yes, I am," she replied. "Thank you. I feel so much better."

"No problem. You need dents taken care of, new paint, whatever. I got it."

"Did you allow me to keep that dent from Big Bentley?"

"That one back behind your left back door? Don' worry. I did my best not to mess with it. Only dealt with the roll-over."

"Thank you."

"Not a problem."

Holley nodded and drove out of the body shop, looking around at the buildings around main street. Residents were talking with tourists, peddling their products and exchanging bits of gossip. She drove on, first in the direction of Siddeley, though he'd said Finn had gone for a drive some time before. She turned and drove in the other direction, passing again through Radiator Springs, on her way to the Wheel Well. She said 'hello' to several cars coming into Radiator Springs from California, and she reached the Wheel Well without finding Finn.

She kept driving, ultimately reaching a promontory point over Carburetor Canyon, where she found Finn, enjoying the view alone. "Finn, oh, good, I've found you," she said, and he turned to face her, slightly surprised. "I figured out a way to stop Shorts from taking Crank's life, or anyone else's."

A smile spread across his bumper.

CARS

Holley and Finn gathered the citizens of Radiator Springs together and laid out her plan. The cars listened intently, and Finn divided them into groups to work on various aspects of putting the plan into action.

Some time later, Finn drove around to check on the groups when he was stopped in the shadows by a car whose silhouette he could barely make out, though it seemed vaguely familiar.

"What's the matter, McMissile?" the car asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not quite, Axle," Finn replied. "More like a nightmare." Axle laughed. "What do you want?"

"I know what you're doing, McMissile. It's not gonna be as easy as you made it out to be, but I've gotta say, you're a good salescar."

"Actually, don't tell anyone this, Mr. Redline, but I was waiting a challenge. It's about time you showed up."

"Oh, this is a new one, McMissile. This is definitely a new one."

"Oh, you don't say. I've had this philosophy for about ten years, but then again, since we are new to each other's acquaintance, you could consider that a, how you say, 'new one'. Now, what do you want? Are you here to...kidnap me? Send me back to Los Angeles where I'll be gutted alive by Shorts personally? Pin the whole thing on me so that my whole reputation is destroyed while you and your accomplices get off scot-free? Or is your master plan something else entirely?"

"You think I'm going to talk, McMissile? Not gonna happen."

"You've already evidenced this fact."

"So you know that I'm not gonna let you get the word out. I'm a spy's brother. Don't think I don't know the tricks."

"Well, here's something you don't know. I've been on the field longer than your brother has."

Axle raced forward, and Finn dodged, escaping the blow with only a scratch on his paint. Axle turned and raced toward the British spy again, who again dodged, but the alley was only so big. Finn found himself slammed into a brick wall, but he maneuvered so that he could deploy one of his guns and fire a few shots at Axle, who managed to avoid the shots. Instinctively, Finn retracted the weapon, still watching Axle closely.

"What, you giving up?" Axle asked.

"I know more than you think," Finn replied. Axle rushed Finn again, and the latter deployed his magnets and drove up the gutters backward. Finn's adversary stared up at him, and he plastered a smirk on his bumper. "What did I tell you?"

"Well, those magnets can't keep you up there forever," Axle replied with a smirk of his own. He gestured to a point behind him, completely immersed in the shadows, and from this point in the darkness shot a tow cable which hooked onto his back bumper and forced him upside down through the darkness. His roof crashed against the asphalt, and he was dragged backwards several feet. Axle rolled over to where Finn lay. "Good effort, but it looks like you need a little sleep." Finn felt a sharp pain under his fender, and the zing knocked him unconscious.

CARS

Holley pulled away from the opening of the alley and faced the small croud of spectators gathered around, listening to the fight. The sound of the two vehicles driving away, accompanied by the tell-tale scraping of metal on asphalt, told her all she needed to know. She turned to face the croud and said, "Change of plans. We're all going to California early."

Word of the fight and plan change spread across Radiator Springs like wildfire, and the residents even got some volunteers out of a few of the tourists. A convoy of some twenty-odd cars drove out of Radiator Springs in the direction of Los Angeles, California.

Though Holley didn't deploy her holo-screen, she ran a continuous scan for Finn McMissile, doing her best to keep him in range. She glanced at Mater, who was at her side for most of the drive, and smiled to herself at the slightly goofy look of resolution on his face, which he might've had for her benefit. In her rearview, she could see the others. No one was speaking, and they all looked as determined as Mater did, if more serious.

She took a deep breath. We're coming for you, Finn, she thought, doing her best to look less nervous than she felt.

CARS

Finn awoke to find himself being towed on his hood through the streets of a city he barely recognized. Something about his surroundings seemed wrong. This wasn't where they were taking him.

Axle was speaking, but even though Finn couldn't make out what he was saying, he switched on his recorder and let it run until he ran out of space for audio files on his computer or there was nothing to record. By the time he'd been dragged out of this foreign city and was doing his best to let his captors believe that he was still unconscious, the recorder was still running, but Axle had stopped talking. He switched it off.

Axle slowed slightly so that he could meet Finn, who shut his eyes immediately. He felt another zing, this one in the fender opposite, and he was knocked out again.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Holley scanned the city and sighed in relief. "We're here," she said. "Everyone remember the plan?" After a chorus of 'yes'es, she added, "Alright, let's go."

She sped off, and the others followed her lead. As a single-file line, they drove through the streets of Los Angeles, Holley at the lead. She found the warehouse and led the cars around to the back. The four tuners nodded to her, and Boost tapped at the warehouse door in a specific way. The door opened, and Holley waited until the others were all inside before throwing on her disguise and picking up the rear.

She scanned the warehouse, spotted Finn unconscious in a corner, and drove over to him. Gingerly, she popped open the hood, and she retched. With a deep breath, she closed his hood and turned to face the rest of the warehouse, which was full of cars taking their positions in the shadows.

The side door opened, and Holley slipped into the shadows, watching Shorts enter with his little entourage.

"I see you found this 'British circuit car'," Shorts said, giving Finn a once-over. "What'd you find on him?"

"Besides a prized engine and an onboard computer, some weapons and not a whole lot else," another car replied. "His parts should go for regular market price at auction."

"Good. The engine's in a safe place?"

"Yes."

"Good. Find a buyer?"

"Axle won't let us. He has...reservations."

Shorts slammed into the other car, crushing him between himself and a wall. "I don't have time for reservations," Shorts growled, revving his engine furiously. Holley slipped deeper into the shadows. "Find a buyer for this car's engine. Now."

"Yes, sir," the other car said between his blatant shivering. He drove off out of the warehouse, and Shorts turned to face the unconscious Finn.

"Looks like I win," he whispered, as if to himself. He laughed and then drove off. Holley waited until Shorts and his entourage were out of the warehouse before signalling the others with her headlights. Mater was the first to drive out of his hiding place.

"Whatcha need?" Mater asked.

"I need you to find Axle and talk some sense into him," Holley replied. "Finn has about an hour and a half if the battery runs only his basic systems."

"Aye aye." With that, Mater sped off out of the warehouse.

Holley turned to the tuners. "You four find Shorts and challenge him to a drag race up First Street, to the bridge, where his 'ghosts' will intercept him."

"Oh, wow. You really did lose your mind," the green and purple car said.

"Wingo," Boost hissed under his breath, but not low enough for Holley not to hear.

"I may have a few screws loose, but I know what I'm doing, especially when it comes to this sort of work."

"Sorry, lady, but you're bringin' a knife to a gunfight," Snot Rod said.

"He may not have a conscience, but he should certainly have fears. Why else would he keep those frames around? Surely he's afraid of his secret getting out, or some other similar thing. You four will challenge him, and we'll meet you on the bridge." The four tuners exchanged looks, and Holley added, "Listen to me. Finn doesn't have much time, and I'm not about to let Shorts get off for the murder of not only my partner, but every car in his special little room. I don't care how afraid of Shorts you are. If you can't find the courage to stop him, then I'll have to find it for you."

"Where're you going with this?" Boost asked, narrowing his eyes and turning away from her slightly.

"Not only do I want at least one of you to race Shorts, I want as many other tuners as possible to know the truth so that they turn against him."

"You want us to help you bring him down?" Again the tuners looked at each other. "Okay," Boost said. "I'll do the racing. DJ here can reach the masses."

"DJ, do you have an email address?"

"Yeah, I think so. Why?" The blue car asked, slightly confused.

"I'll break into Finn's computer, while it's still on, and from there I'll find what I need to put together an audio collection. I'll send it to you, and you'll play it as loud as possible to as many tuners as you can reach."

"Next question: you think we can pull this off?" Wingo asked.

"I know it."

"I'm in," Boost said.

"Me, too," Wingo added. DJ and Snot Rod nodded, rolling forward to join Boost and Wingo.

"I'll get working on the audio. DJ, you stay here with me. Wingo, Snot Rod, you two help Lightning McQueen. There's an alcove next to the back door behind that stack of crates. Get as many cars under the frames as possible and meet me at the bridge on First Street." The three tuners in question nodded, and Wingo and Snot Rod drove over to the opposite end of the warehouse.

"Okay, let's do this," Boost said, and Holley nodded resolutely.

CARS

Mater knocked on the door of the mechanic's garage and waited patiently until the door opened. "What, you need a paint job, some dents fixing, a part replaced?" the muscle car he assumed was Axle asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about that new engine you got," Mater replied.

"You a buyer?"

"Nah, but I know somebody who wants it back."

"Then you can forget it."

Axle moved to shut the door, but Mater rolled forward so that his roof stopped the door from shutting completely. "Y'know I ain't droppin' this that easy."

"You're just as stubborn as Torque was."

"Well, I never met him, but I done got mistook for him once." Axle opened the door just enough to allow Mater to finish his roll through. "I think, after bein' a spy for a little while and knowin' a couple of 'em for a few months, I think I got your brother figured out, at least a little bit, but ah course you know him better than me. I might be dead wrong in doin' this, but-"

"Out with it, you rustbucket."

"Axle, I ain't your brother, but if I had to take me a wild guess, he'd want you to put McMissile's engine back where it belongs."

"What if I don't?"

"Then Finn's gonna die. I dunno if Torque'd like you if you killed one of his friends."

Axle turned away from Mater, facing a mirror. He looked over his reflection and said, "I may not like what I see right now, but I'm in too deep. I can't turn back now, no matter what I see in the mirror."

"I ain't too sure about that."

Axle turned to face Mater. "You mean to tell me that I can turn around and help get Shorts put behind bars for what he does?" Mater nodded. "You think I can turn around and do something good with my life, take that second chance people keep promising?"

"Happened before, didn't it?"

Axle let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I made too many mistakes. Think I can make up for all of them by turning against Shorts?"

"Worth a shot."

He looked up at Mater, nothing but resolve in his eyes. "What do you need me to do?"

CARS

Axle and Mater drove through the back streets, and everywhere they turned, tuners were talking animatedly amongst themselves about a surprise race, and they were all heading toward First Street. Neither car said a word, and Mater found himself constantly checking the flatbed he was towing, with its tarp covering the engine. 'Precious cargo' was the phrase for it, he realized suddenly.

Axle stopped him and peered out of the alley. He glanced up at the street sign and said, "This is going to be a tough one. The race is about to start, but we need to cross in order to get to the warehouse."

Mater looked around and then said, "I got an idea." He deployed his rocket boosters and shot across the street before Axle could process what was going on, even though he followed anyway. He managed to dodge being T-boned by other tuners and crossed the street without incident, but Mater was nowhere to be found. He cussed to himself and drove toward the warehouse, managing somehow to beat Mater there.

"What happened?" he asked when he entered the warehouse. "Where is he?"

"What? He's not with you?" Holley asked, turning to face Axle.

"He was, then he went all rocket-powered and disappeared, with McMissile's engine."

"All this time I thought you hated him."

"Let's just say I got talked into this."

Holley nodded slowly. "That's fair, I guess. Anyway, we've got fifty minutes. He's running on his battery right now. It was a miracle I got to the files on his computer."

"What did you need those for?"

"That big announcement that's coming in the middle of the race. DJ's playing it."

"Oh." Axle rolled over to Finn. "Just in case, we'll need some jumper cables. I think there're some around here somewhere."

"Just in case?"

"Just in case we're almost too late."

"Alright. I'll go find Mater. You look for those jumper cables."

Axle nodded curtly, and Holley drove out of the side door, deploying her set of wings as she went. She was already a foot off the ground by the time she exited the warehouse. Axle shook his head and turned toward Finn. "You're the one that came here with her," he said. Then he began rummaging through crates and boxes and chests, looking for a pair of jumper cables.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Holley raced over First Street, scanning the city below for the tell-tale signs of Mater using his rockets. Finally, she found what she was looking for, several blocks south of the warehouse and counting. She rolled her eyes and descended to meet him. "At this rate, you'll find yourself in Tiajuana within fifteen minutes," she yelled. "C'mon, we need to get back to the warehouse. He has forty-five minutes."

"How do I turn around?" Mater asked.

"Oh, I wish you had a second cable, because then I could turn you around for you. Look, because of the speed you're going, you can't manage to turn around as quickly as you would normally. The turns are too sharp. There's a water fountain a hundred feet ahead. That's what you'll use to turn, sling-shot style. Once you come out of the turn, disengage the rockets. The momentum will keep you going long enough and fast enough to reach the warehouse in a timely manner. Do you understand?"

"I sure do, Miss Holley."

The water fountain in question came into view, and Mater found himself making the turn almost before he could register what was going on. Holley flew overhead as he coasted through the turn. As he came out of it, she yelled, "Alright, disengage the rockets."

"Rockets, disengage," Mater said, and the rocket boosters disappeared. He coasted on the momentum, and Holley descended next to him, disengaging her wings and keeping pace relatively easily with him. "Sorry I missed the warehouse, Miss Holley."

"Don't worry about it. We still have time."

"I sure hope so."

The road to the warehouse seemed clear, until Shorts screeched to a stop in front of them. Mater and Holley threw on their brakes, but it took Mater longer to stop than it did Holley. "You think it's going to be that easy? You've got it all wrong," he said.

"Got any ideas?" Mater asked.

"Get back," Holley replied, positioning herself between Mater and Shorts. She deployed her gun and fired a single shot, puncturing Shorts' tire.

"You missed," he said, smirking.

"I didn't aim to kill," Holley replied, "and besides, I was a top shot out of the acadamy." She took aim again and fired a second shot, puncturing his other front tire. "Alright, go," she said, and Mater sped off, and she raced after him.

CARS

The warehouse was covered in carburetors, engines, containers for various fluids, other car parts, and various tools, alongside upended crates, chests, and boxes, but still Axle kept searching. Finally, with one whole box left and nothing but debris from his search all over the warehouse floor, he decided he'd better give it one last shot, and he ripped the box open, consequently spilling its contents over the already-littered floor. On top of the mess were a red cable and a black cable, both with pincers at their ends.

He took the cables and drove over the debris field to where Finn rested, still unconscious. He lay the cables next to Finn and set to work clearing paths from him to the doors.

The rusty tow truck that had talked him into saving McMissile's life in the first place burst through the back door and moved to make some big announcement when Axle shoved a tire in his mouth. "Don't make any huge pronouncement," he said. "It's dangerous here. Move forward silently. I know you have Finn's engine with you, so don't say anything about it. Now be careful. There are parts everywhere. I've been looking for jumper cables just in case." Mater nodded his understanding, and Axle backed off, keeping an eye on Mater as they drove down the makeshift aisle.

"Hey, you's a pretty good backwards driver," Mater said.

"Thanks. Hey, didn't Holley go after you?"

"Yeah, well, she's keepin' watch outside, y'know, in case Shorts comes back, if he comes back."

"If?"

"Shoulda seen her. She shot out his front tires without thinkin' 'bout it."

"I must've had to be there."

They reached Finn McMissile, and Mater released the flatbed on which Finn's engine rested under the tarp. He and Axle removed the tarp, and Axle popped open Finn's hood. Together, they set to work putting the engine back where it belonged.

CARS

"Okay, the freaks are suited up and in place, and Deej is in the stands, waiting for the signal," Wingo said, riding up to Holley. "Now what?"

"Do you know where we can get prime seats? I have a feeling this is going to be an historic show," Holley replied.

"Yeah, I think I know the place. Here, follow me." Wingo drove off down the backstreet, and Holley followed. They turned onto a street headed toward a bridge, where she spotted numerous cars hunched under tuner frames, waiting for a signal. Wingo found a parking lot, and the two picked out a spot where they could get a good view of what was about to play out.

Wingo turned to face her and said, "I hope your friend's alright."

"So do I," Holley replied wistfully.

CARS

Boost lined himself up with Shorts, really hoping Starr knew what she was doing. He glanced at Shorts one more time, namely the latter's new front tires, barely paying attention to the music blaring over the multiple sound systems. If DJ could sync them up and get the ball rolling on his phase, then at least one thing would've gotten done the way it was supposed to. Drag races were completely unpredictable.

He took a deep breath and watched the tuner ahead and between them as he flashed first the red lights on his roof, trunk, and back bumper and then the green neon on his undercarriage.

Boost and Shorts sped off at the same time, and Boost found himself lapsing into what he and others liked to call "the zone". He maxed himself out, pushing back the pain it caused, and found himself maneuvering easily around corners and through the occasional park, ignoring the yelling he'd recieved from rightly annoyed cars. If they only knew, he thought once.

They approached the stands, a platform set above the parking lot where the sound system was controlled. He'd gained the lead, putting him in a position to flash his headlights in a predetermined way without Shorts' noticing. DJ nodded, and the music stopped playing, substituted by audio which seemed to surprise Shorts completely. Boost slid in front of Shorts as the race led to a curve, and the bridge was in sight. He glanced in his rearview mirrors to see that Shorts was gaining ground quickly.

"Okay, Wingo. I hope this works," he whispered, spotting the tuner in question in a parking lot near the bridge. He signalled with his headlights, now neck and neck with Shorts. He waited until the costumed cars swarmed out of the alley to swing out in the middle of the bridge to face Shorts, who was forced to slide to a stop.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped.

"Stopping you," Boost replied. "Whaddaya say to that?"

"I say you're goddamn insane."

"Oh yeah? Tell that to them."

Shorts turned around to face the costumed cars, and after a moment, he charged them. Boost glanced at Starr, who rushed out of the parking lot when a few of the cars got slammed into. She faced Shorts, taking the blow from Shorts head-on.

"I see you got new tires," she said.

"Can't miss a race, can I?" he replied.

"Then I guess I should've aimed a little higher." Holley deployed her gun and fired into Shorts' fender. He cried out and instinctively backed away. He maneuvered around Holley, only to meet with a wall of live tuners, along with the frames carried by costumed cars. At the front of the line was DJ, flanked by Wingo and Snot Rod. If Boost tried hard enough, he could even spot Crank in the croud.

"Okay, what's going on?" Shorts asked, examining the croud which had him all but surrounded. Both Holley and Boost could tell that he was getting increasingly more nervous.

With a smirk on his bumper, DJ played the audio collection again.

CARS

Axle rolled back slightly and examined his work. Finn was still unconscious by this time, but he'd begun to stir. "He should be okay," he said.

"So we just wait for him to wake up?" Mater asked.

"Yeah, that's about right."

Finn groaned and mumbled, "Holley," attracting the attention of both Axle and Mater. "Holley," Finn mumbled again. "Where are you?"

"She's probably watching the race," Axle said.

"What race?"

"Between Boost and Shorts. It's the talk of the city."

"Where?"

"I'll show you. If your engine feels a little weird, having been reinserted and all, Mater can give you a tow."

Finn nodded, blinked a few times, and revved his engine. "It seems to work well, having just been reinserted and all. Now, where do we go and who do we stop before we all get killed?"

Axle and Mater exchanged a glance, and Axle said, "Follow me."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Holley continued to hold Shorts off as he got increasingly more agitated and consequently more violent. As Shorts began to gain the upper hand, Boost decided to intervene. He rolled forward and swung himself at Shorts' back bumper. Shorts wheeled on him, and before he fully knew what was happening, Boost found himself preparing to run for his life.

Someone whistled sharply, and every car present turned to face him. None other than Finn McMissile rolled forward, scanning the crowd. Shorts noticed him immediately. "You're supposed to be dead," he snapped, beginning to fidget uncontrollably.

"Good, or, perhaps, not so good, since, if I'm dead, I can now haunt you for the rest of your life, or all eternity, whichever comes first," Finn replied. "You thought you could get away with gutting cars alive, didn't you? Didn't you think people were too afraid of you to do anything about it? Or was it that you thought they were too stupid to know anything? You know, there are a lot of options in this situation."

Shorts looked around for a second before recovering himself. "Let me guess," he said. "Axle brought you back."

"And I thank him for it."

"Good try, Shorts, but I'm pretty sure Mr. McMissile asked you a question," Boost said. "If you don't wanna answer, just say so."

"Oh, you're in for it now, boy," Shorts hissed, turning to face Boost. Finn launched his two front bumprette grappling hooks just as Shorts prepared to attack, and he pulled back, forcing Shorts to stop just short of hitting his mark. "What the hell is going on?"

"It looks like you're being confronted," Holley said. "Even you aren't above us." She removed her disguise, shocking most of the cars present. "It's a shame, since the end of a streak is always bittersweet, if not downright sad and-or disappointing. If I may, though, how many cars did you run over to maintain your operation here?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure you do, and DJ has the audio collection to prove it." DJ tilted his hood to the side and shrugged slightly. "He's already played it twice, and if he likes, he may play it again, for your benefit, of course. Then again, perhaps you don't need to listen to the audio."

"What are you getting at?"

"I believe she's getting at the fact that we have enough evidence against you to get you off the streets for quite a while. I may call the police, if you want," Finn said. Shorts' fidgeting became more uncontrollable. "You know what? I might just call the police regardless of what you want. I bet no one's done that to you before."

"Ooo, y'know, he's got a point," Boost said.

Holley looked at the croud of tuners who'd gathered to watch the incident as it progressed. "I wonder what they think of the prospect of getting ripped apart while they're still alive," she said, almost wistfully. "I'm not sure you'll have such a fear-based support group, but this is just my academy-based assessment."

Shorts began tugging at the cables which kept him from moving freely, and Finn fought him over every inch of ground he struggled to gain. Boost glanced at Holley, who was still studying the croud. He rolled over and whispered, "What's starin' at 'em gonna make 'em do?"

"It's not supposed to do anything," she replied. "I'm trying to figure out what to do next, because it's obvious Finn needs help."

"How about makin' that call he mentioned, y'know, to the cops?"

Holley looked at him. "As dangerous as that sounds, to you and almost every other car here, and as much of a gamble as that sounds like regardless of who's present, it just might work."

"It looks like the only real shot we have."

She nodded resolutely. "Alright, let's do it."

Several minutes after Holley's statement, sirens filled the air, and many of the tuners retreated to the shadows. Shorts tensed, and Boost wasn't sure if he should be relieved or more nervous than he'd ever been in his life. Mater, Finn, and Holley merely waited patiently as the streets filled with police cars, all attempting to contain a fight before one broke out.

Shorts' attempts at regaining his freedom all of a sudden became more frantic and forceful, ultimately snapping one of Finn's cables and doing damage to his own bumper as he ripped the remaining hook out of him. He sped off across the bridge, only to be pursued by Finn, Holley, Boost, and the police, Mater tagging along seemingly only because he felt like either someone would need help or that was where all the action would be.

Holley and Boost began closing in on Shorts as Finn maxed out but still managed to give chase. Police flanked the two and even passed them, or Holley, rather, as she, too, began to max out.

Boost found himself lining up with Shorts. "Guess we get to finish our race," he said. "Problem is, this one doesn't end until the cops get you."

"If they get to me."

"Believe me, nitrous can only get you going so fast. I should know."

Shorts, instead of responding, turned a sharp corner, which Boost and some of the police managed to replicate. "Look like it's the end of the line," Boost called. "Gonna cop out or keep runnin'? Your choice."

Shorts sped up, and Boost followed his lead. He could feel himself approaching his own max-out point, but he knew he had to keep going. He remained within range of Shorts and began forming a plan in his mind, inspired by a few of the drag races he'd seen over the years. He tried to gain on Shorts, getting closer and closer to his max-out point.

Boost swung his front bumper at Shorts' back bumper and connected before being launched into a donut and recovering himself in the parking lot of a large abandoned building. He watched Shorts tumble end over end once before settling onto his roof, his wheels spinning with their momentum. Shorts was surrounded by police cars within seconds and swore loudly.

Finn and Holley reached the scene shortly thereafter, and she glanced at Shorts and asked, "Was that you?" Boost nodded. "Quick thinking."

"Thanks."

"It's that kind of thinking which makes a top-notch spy," Finn said in a low voice.

"Is that an invitation?"

"You could say that. I can't say much more, yet, but yes, I'm giving you an invitation."

Boost nodded. "You guys maxed out. Maybe Axle can check out your engines."

"I've maxed out before in pursuit of this car, and I'm still here," Holley said.

"Yeah, but you're what? Some sort of undercover agent?"

After a pause, she said, "Yes. Don't tell anyone I told you this, but we both are. We could tell you more later, since accepting Finn's invitation requires a full set of information, or as full a set of information as regulations allow."

"Okay." Boost glanced around at the gathering crowd. "The others okay?"

"Course we're okay," Wingo said as he, DJ, and Snot Rod rolled up out of the crowd.

"What, you think we wouldn't be?" Snot Rod asked.

"Okay, good," Boost replied.

He moved to leave the scene when Finn stopped him and said, "Don't. The police will want to talk to you."

"And run my VIN number and find out I've been running with these guys for years. Not sure I want to chance it."

"Do you want to add leaving the scene of an accident to your already impressively long rap sheet?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I could get jailed for everything I did."

"Unless I vouch for you, perhaps."

"What good are you gonna do?"

"A lot actually."

"Yeah, right."

"Excuse me, Javier Armandez?" an officer asked.

"Yeah?"

"We'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Well, I'm here, so I might as well give a few answers."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Mater drove up to the promontory point, where Holley waited, admiring the view. "Sorry I'm late, Miss Holley," he said.

"You're fine," she replied, not turning to face him.

"Somethin' wrong?"

Slowly, she backed up and turned toward him. "I've been doing a lot of thinking on the way over here. My biggest problem at this point is that I can't tell you everything. Period. It just can't be done as long as you're a civilian and I'm a spy. Now, I don't want you to change, because I like you the way you are. This problem is mine, and mine alone. My problem is that I like you, quite well, but I can't be sure if I can have an open, honest relationship with you."

"It's all classified?"

"Yes, pretty much. That, and I know that you like to tell crazy stories. Should a future target or outright enemy of ours happen to overhear a story of yours after I've told you too much, whatever mission I could be on would be compromised, and I could be burned and relocated."

"Is that like gettin' fired?"

"Yes, and they say that once you leave espionage, you'll never find a more fulfilling work, or an equally fulfilling work, for that matter."

"Well, I dunno if I'd forgive myself if I caused you to lose your job. You sound like you really love it."

"I do. It's the best job in the world. I may not like almost getting killed as much as Finn does, but I still love my job." After a moment spent examining the slightly forelorn look in his eyes, she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"I jus' been thinkin', well, that maybe you's got a relationship with McMissile."

"Are you jealous?"

"Nah, not jealous. Maybe a little bit bothered by it."

"So...jealous. Rest assured, Mater. I'm about as sure about Finn as I am about you, which is, well, completely clueless."

"Oh, uh, okay."

"Mater, I'm so sorry."

"'S alright, Miss Holley. I been wonderin' if we'd work out myself, considerin'. Maybe we should just be friends."

"You know that's akin to a break-up. It never works."

"Well, I dunno if we're right for each other, and it seems like you's thinkin' the same thing. Might be best, y'know, for us both."

Holley nodded softly, closing her eyes and letting out a small sigh. "Oh, this is so hard. I can't choose."

Mater rolled up and touched Holley's bumper. "'S all gonna work out, somehow. I ain't sure how, yet, but i's all gonna work out."

She looked up at him. "I hope you're right."

"I still owe ya dinner and a drive-in movie," Mater said, and Holley smiled.

CARS

Boost drove up to a very unassuming point in the desert, which looked very much like every other point in the desert, except Siddeley wasn't very far away, and Finn McMissile was only twenty feet away. "You, uh, wanted to talk to me?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," Finn replied. "Here, come with me. I told Siddeley to expect you." Finn drove toward the plane, and Boost followed rather tentatively. They rolled up the ramp and into the cabin. Finn drove up to the computer and entered Boost's VIN number into the system. "Find closest match," he said. "Search everything."

The computer ran its search, and a minute later, a computerized voice said, "Closest match found," and then gave a VIN number.

"Whose number is that?" Boost asked.

"My condolences," Finn replied. "It's Shorts'."

"Well, that answers that question, and besides, he's off the streets now."

"Yes, but I can still offer you an opportunity to turn your life around. At least now you have the freedom to accept."

"This about that invitation?"

"Yes. There's an academy that you can go to, to train to be a spy. The academy is part of a facility called the Command Headquarters for Reconnaissance Operations and Motorized Espionage, or CHROME."

"You really think I'm cut out for it?"

"You have more fight than you realize, Boost, and not only that, but you have potential. Take it from someone with more than twenty years of experience in the field. I'll send you the obligatory informational file and, like all the others, let you come to a decision in your own time."

"I gotta get this straight. You're tellin' me that, even though you're not my dad, you're gonna basically be my dad and give me this opportunity to turn my life around, y'know, do good?"

"Yes, that's exactly it."

Boost chewed his bumper. "What's the info file say?"

"You'll see when you recieve it."

"Okay. Hey, how's Axle holding up, what with his big boss put away and all?"

CARS

Axle set about cleaning and reorganizing his tools in order to have something to do with his tires. His mind wandered, dwelling on everything that had happened after Shorts' arrest. He helped the cops sort out all the parts in the warehouse and identify the frames so that they could recieve proper disposals from their families, if they still had families.

He'd helped get Finn McMissile's engine back, an action he knew at the depth of his frame would've made Torque proud, if he was watching from somewhere. A smile danced across his bumper when he thought of his brother, and he'd stopped cleaning his tools for a moment, before he caught himself and resumed his activities.

As Axle crossed the shop to the kitchen to fix himself up a quart of oil, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and for a second, he thought he saw Torque, watching him with a sort-of rough, but still patient, look. "Guess I wasn't in as deep as I thought," he whispered. "Guess I can still make you proud."


End file.
